Subject to Change
by EightofSwords
Summary: High school is hard enough for Sererna with only the jerkwad junior Darien to worry about. But when you add a naked transformation phase, a pyro, a genius with OCD, and REALLY short skirts – how’s a girl supposed to graduate!
1. Gym Class

A/N: So, you dared me to write a happy story, huh, Meg-san? Well, I can never resist a challenge. Here it is, the first chapter of my _happy_ mini-series, which will have a _happy_ ending. Guaranteed non-depressing, or your money back. (Yeah, I wish I was getting paid for this.) You BETTER enjoy this. Do you know how LONG it took me to come up with a happy premise? Here's a hint: my trash can is FULL.)

Disclaimer: In a past life, I owned Sailor Moon. In fact, I was the Moon Princess. However, this reincarnation round, I was not so fortunate.

* * *

**Subject to Change**

* * *

"O-dan-go A-ta-ma!"

Bunny spun, clenching her fists at the sound of the singsong voice. "How many times have I told you to stop calling me that?" she snapped at the black-haired boy leaning against the wall next to her locker. "Or are you too dumb to count!"

"Ouch, that pierced me deep, Odango." The junior clasped a hand against his chest in mock pain. He smirked, then, and looked at her lazily through one dark blue eye. "Of course, you're the one who's failing Geometry, so…"

"And you're the one who picks on an innocent tenth-grader every day because you have nothing better to do with your life!" Bunny slammed her locker shut and bent to retrieve her backpack. It was bright pink and covered with iron-on rabbit decals, the very epitome of girliness. "Now go crawl into a hole somewhere, jerk, I've got class."

"I know you do, 'cause I've got it with you," Darien drawled, following her as she stomped down the stairs.

She threw him a withering look. "I was _trying _to forget about that little fact, jerk."

"Well, with your memory, it shouldn't be hard."

"Not as hard as your thick skull!"

"At least I don't have dumplings on my head."

"No, you've just got them _inside_ your head!"

"Again, Odango, I would like to point out that _you_'re the one failing your math class."

"And I would like to point out that _you_'re a jerk!" Bunny shouted, thumping his arm with her fist. "Someday, Shields, I'll be six feet tall and I'll beat you up so bad you won't be able to _walk_, let alone make fun of defenseless high school girls!"

"Someday in your dreams, Odango. You hit your max height when you were nine, I think." He grinned and leaned over her, emphasizing the near-foot-long difference in their heights.

"ARRRGGHHH!" Bunny screeched deafeningly. "YOOUUUUU!"

Darien laughed as she stomped away into the girls' locker room, her distinctive streams of hair jerking erratically behind her.

"Man, Shields, you really get under her skin," commented a voice from behind him. Darien looked over his shoulder to see Asanuma standing there with his gym bag sung over his shoulder. "She's an angel with anyone else, but put the two of you together, and, well…let's just say it gets kinda hot." He punched Darien on the shoulder. "Why are you always such a jerk to her, man? You got a crush on her or something?"

"I'm not a jerk," Darien protested. "It's just fun to tease her. And I DON'T have a crush on her." _I like Sailor Moon._

A sly grin quirked Asanuma's lips. "Sounds like love to me." Then he darted into the locker room before Darien could strangle him.

* * *

"Okay, class, quiet down!" bellowed the coach, brandishing his whistle threateningly. " Do you wanna make me use this – Tonaki, get away from that fire extinguisher! And Daikonu, it doesn't take that long to get a drink of water. Haul your rear back over here!"

"But Coach, no water'll come out," protested the wiry youth. "It's like the water's frozen in the pipes or something!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever." The Coach rolled his eyes. "I can see right through you, Daikonu – and you still have to run the track. Now come on!"

"Aw, Coach…" The boy slunk over, muttering under his breath as he shoved his glasses up on his nose.

"_Now_ that that's settled," rumbled Coach, shooting a pointed glance at Daikonu, "time for role call! Everyone get on your numbers, or I'm giving out zeroes!"

Bunny groaned as she jogged towards her number. Maybe if she was lucky, the Jerkwad would have tripped on a puddle in the locker room and broken his leg – nope. He was right there on his number, looking perfectly healthy as he smirked at her.

She groaned again as she took her place beside him. Her last name just had to come right after his, didn't it? Shields, Tuskino…was it possible for her to legally change her name, she wondered? Or maybe go by "Moon," instead, or "Sailor?"

Coach began to read off his clipboard.

"Mihara?"

"Here."

"Onichirun?" (A/N: Bless you!)

"Here, sir."

"Risa."

"Present."

"Seiko?"

"President!"

Snickers began to rustle through the line of students. Coach looked up with knit eyebrows. "Where do you think you are, Seiko, America? Two laps!"

Seiko groaned. "Aw, Coach…"

"Make it three."

Bunny shot Seiko a sympathetic look. He rolled his eyes back at her, mouthing, "Me and my big mouth." Bunny giggled.

"NOW, Seiko!" Coach bellowed, then turned back to his clipboard and grinned. "Ah, Mr. Shields!" He clapped Darien on the back. Bunny smirked at the discomfited look on the junior's face. "Thought anymore about that proposal of mine?"

"I'm really sorry, Coach, but my answer's the same as last time."

Bunny watched in interest, wondering what they were talking about. When Coach had first said _proposal_, her first thought had been that he had asked Darien to marry him – which was wrong in so many ways, not the least of which being that no one in their right mind would want to marry that jerk – but she had quickly realized the idiocy of this assumption.

Coach's mustache drooped, but he persisted. "You'd be a great addition to the team, Shield – you've got the height, the build, the speed – "

"I really don't think I can fit basketball into my schedule right now, Coach," Darien declined firmly. "I have too much to do, schoolwork and all – "

"But Shields, think of the scholarship! Surely your parents would agree with me, how about we set up a conference – "

Darien's lips set in a tight line. Something had iced over in his eyes. Bunny reached out for him before she even thought about it – it wasn't until her trembling hand brushed the fabric of his jacket that she realized what she was doing and jerked her hand away as though she'd been burned.

Darien shot her a strange look before opening his mouth. His voice was studiously blank and oddly commanding. "The answer is no, Coach Etoukou, and I don't want to talk about this anymore."

The Coach blinked, taking a step back. Bunny frowned, tilting her head as she stared at Darien

"F-fine." Coach turned away from Darien, lifting his clipboard clumsily and quickly. "Uh – where was I – Tsukino?" His voice was a tense bark.

"Huh – oh!" Bunny exclaimed, startled out of her fervent study of Darien's inscrutable face. "Here!"

The coach grunted at her. "You're coming to Discus tryouts after school on Wednesday, right, Tsukino?"

Bunny blinked. "Uh – yeah, I guess so. If I don't get detention," she added under her breath. _And if a youma doesn't show up like it did last Wednesday._

She heard Darien's stifled laugh beside her and turned to glare up at him indignantly, hands planted on her regulation red physical education skort. (A/N: Yes, I said skort. Not skirt.)

"Stop laughing at me!"

"Or you'll do what?" Darien's teeth shone as he laughed. "Trip and fall on top of me? You already do that twice a day anyways."

"Can I help it if you're so fat you take up the whole sidewalk?"

"Now you're calling obese? Yesterday you called me a scrawny mathlete nerd!"

"OOH!" Bunny stomped a foot in impotent rage. _Touche, jerk. _"Your ego needs to go on a diet, that's for sure."

_FWEEEET!_

"Shields! Tsukino!" Bunny and Darien whipped around to see the Coach standing a few feet away, holding his whistle a few inches from his mouth. "Save the lovers' spat for your own time! You're supposed to be doing laps!"

"Lovers' – spat – _HIM!_" Bunny shrieked, face exploding with red. "_NEVER!_"

"Ditto that, Odango," said Darien from behind her, folding his arms over his chest. "Like I'd ever go out with someone as blonde as you." _Well…maybe Sailor Moon…_

"ARRGH!" Bunny whirled around and pounded him on the chest with her small fists. "That's it! Tomorrow, Shields, I'm wearing high heels!"

The color drained from Darien's face. "You wouldn't."

"I would," retorted Bunny smugly.

"Odango, if you – "

"AHEM." Coach cleared his throat with a phlegmy sound and pointed at the tack, where the majority of the P.E. class had already traversed three-quarters of the track. "I'm sure Seiko would enjoy some company – "

"NO!" Darien and Bunny burst out at the same time. Simultaneously, they turned to glare at each other and yelled, "JINX!" Scowls settled on their faces when they realized that they had spoken at the exact same time. They had opened their mouths to try again, but were cut off by Coach thundering, "TWO LAPS! **NOW!**"

The two teenagers took off like bullets.

"This is all your fault, you know," huffed Bunny as they pounded down the cement. "Now he hates me and I'm gonna fail ANOTHER class!"

"Oh, shut up, Odango," panted Darien, watching her carefully to make sure she didn't pull ahead of him. "You were the one who started it."

"Did not! _pant _YOU _pant_ were laughing at _pant_ ME!"

"You _puff_ called ME _puff _fat!"

"Cause you _pant _are! Listen to you _pant_ you're huffing _pant _and puffing _pant_ like the big _pant_ bad _pant_ wolf!"

"And you _puff _aren't!"

"Not as _pant _much _pant_ as you! _pant_" (A/N: These asterisks are getting really annoying.)

Darien growled low in his throat and pushed himself to pick up the speed. He'd show that Odango Atama…but to his dismay, Bunny matched his pace easily – of course, all those early-morning sprints to school must have built up her stamina and speed.

"Look!" Bunny forced out in a gasp of breath. "Everyone else _gasp_ is inside already!"

It was true. The track was now deserted except for them; even Seiko had proceeded inside. However, they were now nearing the end of the track.

"So?" Darien panted.

"We're doing gymnastics today!"

"So what?"

"We always do gymnastics in pairs!"

"Yeah, so?"

"And everyone else is inside!" Bunny wailed.

Darien blinked.

"Oh, come on! You're supposed to be the school genius! Why can't you figure this out!" Bunny yanked at her ponytails in distress. "We always work in pairs, but everyone is already inside, while we're still out here!"

"That means…" Darien's eyes widened. "…we have to be partners?"

Bunny's eyes filled with tears. "YEEEEEEES!" she shrieked. "IT'S NOT FAIR! WHY DO I HAVE TO BE PARTNERS WITH THE JERKWAAAAAAAAAAAA

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD?"

"How come I get stuck with the Blonde Banshee?" Darien implored of the blue sky above them. "Why me? Why me?"

* * *

"Tsukino and Shields, over here!" The coach beckoned to them as they unwillingly dragged themselves to the entrance of the gym. The building echoed with the sounds of feet hitting mats. "As anyone with eyes can see, we're doing gymnastics today, and everyone else is already paired up, so you two'll have to be partners. There's a mat in that corner over there. And no kissing!"

Too exhausted from their run, neither Bunny nor Darien had the energy to express their vexation at that last comment. They merely trudged over to the mat and flopped down on it.

"You go first," said Bunny.

"Oh, no, I wouldn't dream of it," replied Darien. "You go."

"No, really, I must insist."

"Chivalry is not yet dead. A gentleman like me _always _lets ladies go first."

"In that case, be my guest."

There was silence for a moment. Then Darien propped himself up on an elbow and looked at her. "Did you just call me a girl?"

Bunny grinned, thrilled at finally being one-up on the smug upperclassman. "You bet your suspenders I did."

"Please." Darien snorted. "Like I wear suspenders."

"You're right."

Darien glanced at her, suspicious of this easy capitulation.

"After all, girls don't wear suspenders."

Darien groaned, dropping his head down on the mat. He didn't want to move ever again –

"TSUKINO! SHIELDS! GET YOUR LAZY BUMS OFF THE FLOOR!"

"Oh, if I had a sledgehammer right now," Bunny muttered, scrambling hastily to her feet. She shrieked suddenly and fell back down on the mat in an untidy pile of pale limbs and golden hair. "OW!"

"What happened now, Odango?" Darien drawled out in annoyance, nudging her with the tip of his sneaker.

"GET YOUR FEET OFF OF ME, SHIELDS!" Immediately, Bunny was on her feet, glaring at him as if there were no tomorrow. "Geez, you are such a rude, egotistical, pompous – " She broke off in mid-rant under his expectant stare. "Oh, fine." She folded her arms defiantly over her chest. "I stepped on my hair, okay?"

The laughter that erupted from the corner of the gym caught the attention of everyone in the gym, it was so loud. Unfortunately for our two rivals, "everyone" included Coach Etoukou.

"LOVEBIRDS!" He yelled.

That shut Darien up.

"See what you did?" Bunny hissed to the black-haired boy. "He's gonna kill us now!"

"Aw, are you scared, Odango?" Darien's eyes were guilty as he watched Coach stalk towards them, but he could never resist a chance to tease the Odango. Some sort of genetic defect of his, or something. He really needed to get it checked out. It could be a serious disorder…mustteaseodangoatamaitis. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

Coach was only a few meters away now, and the whole gym was silent, but Bunny jumped up on her tiptoes and whispered in Darien's ear: "High heels, Shields.."

His face paled again.

"Okay, you two," began the Coach, a frighteningly docile smile pasted on his face. Bunny and Darien both backed away a couple of steps, bumping into the wall. "Since you seem so confident of your gymnastic abilities that you don't have to practice them at all, how about giving us a little demonstration, hmm?"

Darien and Bunny exchanged glances.

Bunny knew that after all of Luna's nightmare training sessions, she could do practically any acrobatic routine on Earth – providing she didn't klutz out in the middle – from somersaults to triple flips in midair, but Darien didn't exactly strike her as the type of guy who practiced his handstand every morning.

Darien eyed Bunny reluctantly. They were so dead. After all his midnight escapades as Tuxedo Mask, dodging youma and traversing rooftops, he himself was a formidable gymnast, but Bunny, the city-renowned klutz? She hadn't been christened the "Tsukino Tornado" for nothing. The snickers from the crowd of spectators informed him that the rest of the student population was clearly thinking the same thing. However, she was now nodding at him, jerking her head towards the mat.

Bunny saw the incredulity in Darien's expression and heard the sniggers, and indignation kindled within her. Her eyes flashed and hardened: she would show him. She would show all of them. She wasn't just the ditzy blonde they all thought she was. She was more than that.

"Well?" said Coach, but Bunny had already blurred into motion.

Gasps sounded from all around the room as Bunny executed three perfect backflips consecutively, then launched into a somersault in midair. She landed and flowed immediately into a series of cartwheels that were so seamlessly performed that no one could tell where they stopped and where they began.

The cartwheels melted into a single somersault, and Bunny rose to her feet in front of the Coach and Darien, her cheeks flushed with exertion, and her hair mussed. Belatedly, Bunny realized that her hair could have completely ruined her routine – if it had gotten caught under her hand or tangled in her legs even once, she could easily have become a laughingstock – or worse, a laughingstock with a broken bone.

But she hadn't. And applause shook the gymnasium, mingled with shrill whistles and delighted squeals of "Sugoi!"

Coach was rubbing his hands together. He stepped forward and clapped a meaty paw on Bunny's slender shoulder, not unlike the move he had used on Darien a half hour earlier. "Tsukino! Where have you been hiding your skills all this time? Let me tell you, does the gymnastics team ever have a spot for you! Practices Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays after school, four o'clock – "

Bunny's eyes widened. Oh, no – he was trying to recruit her! She didn't have time for extracurriculars, not between homework and being Sailor Moon. She already didn't have enough time to sleep at night!

"Coach, I can't," she interrupted his extols of her impeccable technique. "I'm really sorry, but I don't have time to be on the gymnastics team."

Coach stared at her in horror from beneath his baseball cap. "But with a form like that, you could be in the 2008 Olympics!" He protested. "Why not!"

"I just – don't have the time," Bunny answered weakly, looking wildly about for escape like a cornered rabbit. It was much to her shock and slight discomfort and relief, also, when an arm slung itself over her shoulders and a voice spoke firmly.

"She said no, Coach. Let her be."

Coach stared from her to Darien, mouth working soundlessly. "Shields and Tsukino…why must you be so cruel?" He dropped to his knees and clasped his hands. "Please, I'm begging you! Both of you! Join my teams!"

"Uhh…" Bunny and Darien sweatdropped.

_BRRIIIINNG!_

"AH! SAVED BY THE BELL!" They shouted, and hot-footed off, leaving the Coach behind choking in their dust. When it cleared, he watched their shapes quickly receding in the distance and yelled, "AHHHH! JOIN MY TRACK TEAM!"

"Is he…gone?" Bunny panted, bending over and placing her hands on her knees as she attempted to regain her breath.

"I…think so…" Darien's position mirrored hers. "Man, that guy is scary…I think he's on drugs…"

"Yeah…" Bunny straightened up and glanced up at him tentatively. "Ah – Darien?"

"Yeah?"

"Um – thanks. For, you know, saving me from the Coach and everything."

"Well, I guess it was the least I could do…after all, he cornered me, too, so I know how scary he is." Darien scratched the back of his head.

"Um, yeah." Bunny cleared her throat, then jutted her chin up. "But don't think that just because you helped me out that this changes anything between us! I still think you're a conceited jerkwad!"

"And you're still a dumpling-headed, noodle-brained little ingrate – "

_BRRRIINNNG._

The two teens froze.

"Uh oh," said Bunny. "that wasn't the…tardy bell….was it?"

They looked at each other. Then sprinted into their respective locker rooms.

"WE'RE GONNA BE SO LAAAAAAATE! JINX! STOP TALKING AT THE SAME TIME AS ME! DOUBLE JINX! ARGH! TRIPLE JINX – STOP DOING THAT! ARGH! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

* * *

A/N: Ah. At last Part One is finally done! (rhyme!) For those of you who didn't pick up on it (I'm not sure if you could or not, I wrote it kind of weird) at the end just there, that was Bunny and Darien both shouting at the same time. They kept saying the same thing as each other and kept getting mad because they'd "jinx!" each other at the same time.

As always, review. Since this is my first cheerful story, I expect juicy ones! (stares around sternly, slapping a yardstick against her palm) What I really need you guys to tell me is if this chapter is funny or not. If all the jokes I try to make are really bad, then I don't want to make them anymore because it'll make me look stupid…uh, do you get what I'm saying?

P.S. Meg-san, I especially want your opinion, since I wouldn't have written this without your insistence. Do you like?


	2. Beware Women's Footwear

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. I AM Sailor Moon! Muahahahah!

* * *

**Subject to Change**

* * *

"So why were you late to Psychology today, Dare?" Motoki asked, sliding a glass of Mountain Dew across the counter to his friend.

Darien caught the drink with a dexterity that Motoki could only assume was born of his years of martial arts, and gulped half the concoction down in one gulp. "The Odango Atama," he said, scowling. "She picked a fight with me, and I lost track of time-"

"Liar! You were the one who picked the fight, not me!"

Motoko glanced up with a wide grin as Bunny hopped up into the stool beside Darien.

"Milkshake, Usa?"

"Definitely, Motoki-onii-san!" Bunny replied, flashing him a huge grin before turning back to Darien and poking him in the arm with an accusing finger. "You made me late, jerk!"

"Here you go, Usa!" exclaimed Motoki hastily, shoving the milkshake in front of Bunyn before another fight could explode between her and Darien. He smiled in relief as Bunny closed her mouth to take a sip of the chocolate concoction. "Hey, you're kinda late getting here today, Usa. What happened?"

"_HE _happened, that's what!" Bunny explained accusingly around the straw in her mouth, glaring at Darien. "Haruna gave me a detention because I was late to Geometry – because of HIM!"

"YOU're the one who decided to impersonate Barbie Gymnast in gym!"

"I wouldn't have had to if you hadn't gotten us in trouble!"

"_I _got us in trouble, Odango Atama? You were the reason we had to run the track twice!"

"OOH, YOU – Motoki, do you have a pen?"

Both of the boys blinked at Bunny's sudden mood swing.

"Uh – sure, Usa," said Motoki slowly, reaching under the counter.

Darien's eye twitched as his mind was assaulted by images of all the painful things Bunny could do to him with a pen. "Motoki, don't – "

"Thank you, Motoki-onii-san," said Bunny sweetly, taking the pen from Motoki and uncapping it slowly and deliberately.

Darien flinched and quickly scooted over a seat.

"Note…to…self," Bunny murmured out loud as she used the pen to write on the palm of her hand. Her tongue peeked out of the corner of her mouth in concentration.

"Remember…to…wear…high…heels…tomorrow." She capped the pen and handed it back to Motoki, whose eyebrows were knit in bewilderment. "Arigatou, Motoki-onii-san!"

"NO!" Darien's howl turned heads – soon everyone in the arcade was staring suspiciously at the trio. Bunny hid a grin and popped the cherry from her milkshake in her mouth. Motoki cleared his throat, blushing, and retreated behind a door marked, "Staff Only," and Darien whimpered, holding his head in his hands.

"So tell me again whose fault was it that I was late, Mr. Shields?" asked Bunny brightly, smiling widely at all the people who were still staring at her and her nemesis.

"It was entirely and totally my fault that you were late," muttered Darien reluctantly.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you. Could you say it again, please, a little louder?" Bunny leaned her head towards him to hear better, cupping a hand around her ear.

"I SAID, IT'S ALL MY FAULT YOU WERE LATE TO CLASS!" Darien bellowed, jumping to his feet. "JUST DON'T WEAR HIGH HEELS,_ PLEASE_, ODANGO!"

"Well, if you feel that strongly about it…" Bunny grinned. "Sit down, Shields, everyone's staring at you."

Darien shot a withering look at their audience, and sat down. "Stupid blonde."

"Ah, ah, ah." Bunny shook a finger in his face. Darien scowled at it and bared his teeth, a growl rumbling in his throat. Bunny yanked her hand backwards with a shriek. "EW! YOU WOULDN'T!"

"What? What is it?" Motoki cam rushing out, eyes wild. "Bunny, are you okay?"

"He was going to bite me!" Bunny pointed at Darien, who was now calmly sipping his soda. "Motoki, I bet he has rabies!"

Darien grinned and bared his teeth again, looking for all the world to see like a hungry wolf. Bunny shrieked and scrambled off her stool, grabbing something as she stumbled.

_WHAP!_

"OW! ODANGO, WHAT WAS THAT FOR!" Darien clutched his head in pain, glaring venomously at the blonde girl.

"Self-defense, Shields," retorted Bunny, hugging her schoolbag/Darien-whapper against her chest. "And I am so definitely wearing high heels tomorrow!" She let out a derisive stream of laughter before dashing out of the arcade.

Motoki sighed and picked up Bunny's milkshake and money from the counter. "I'd wear steel-toed boots to school tomorrow, Darien. Remember the last time Usa used high heels on you."

"So do I," replied Darien mournfully, clutching his foot to his chest on the stool. Motoki couldn't help but snort if laughter at his friend's monkey-like position. "I've still got the hole in my foot."

* * *

"Heehee, this is gonna be great!" Bunny giggled to herself, tiptoeing down the sidewalk early the next morning. Already, the day had been priceless. Getting up an hour before school started (so that she would be able to "catch" Darien on the way to school) and having time to take a leisurely shower and brush out her hair, the shell-shocked expression on her mother's face as she sat down to a steaming heap of scrumptious, syrupy pancakes, and now, the tranquil stroll to school… This would be a great day even if she wasn't planning to stomp a hole through Darien's right foot so that it matched his left!

"Ooh! There he is!" she exclaimed in an excited whisper as she peeked around the corner of a building and spotted her prey a block away. Several pedestrians stopped to stare and wonder at her odd behavior as she sat down in the middle of the sidewalk and pulled a pair of lethal-looking red stilettos from the school bag sitting beside her on the cement. "Tighten the straps …there!"

Bunny smirked in satisfaction and stuffed her regular school shoes into her bag. Then she tottered unsteadily to her feet, bracing herself with one hand plastered to the wall of the building beside her. She watched the reflection in the window of the nail salon across the street, counting down the seconds.

"Three….two…ONE!"

Bunny lunged tipsily out from behind the building. She had misjudged by a second, though, and her arms windmilled crazily around for an agonizing moment before she crashed face-first into the sidewalk. "Ow…" She had totally missed the jerkwad!

"A bit forward, aren't you, Odango Atama? Throwing yourself at me like that?"

"In your dreams, Shields," groaned Bunny, pushing herself up into a kneeling position, rubbing her nose tenderly. "I'd jump an Ewok before I'd jump you."

"Hmm, is that so?" Mischief quirked Darien's lips, and Bunny stiffened. "I hope you didn't spend too long on your homework last night, Odango Atama, 'cause you're not going to get to turn it in today!" With that, he snatched up her school bag from the sidewalk beside her and disappeared into the crowd of early-morning pedestrians, his laughter echoing in her ears.

Bunny sat still for a moment. "He…just…stole my bag…." She rocketed to her feet, swaying wildly on her heels. "DARIEN! MY SHOES ARE IN THEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!"

* * *

"Well, I suppose I should expect it by now," said Bunny's first period teacher, Mrs. Rikiro. Her hands rested lightly on her hips as she frowned down at Bunny. "Really, Bunny, how do you expect to pass Biology if you never do any homework?"

"I DID do it!" Bunny protested earnestly. "It's just – well, it's really weird, and you probably wouldn't believe me – in fact, I don't think I even want anyone to know, it's so embarrassing –"

"And _what_ are you wearing?" continued Mrs. Ririko, heedless of Bunny's uncomfortable babbling. She stared pointedly down at Bunny's lethal-looking footwear. The class, which was enjoying yet another spectacle of Bunny being chewed out by a teacher, snickered behind their hands. "Don't tell me you walked to school in those!"

Bunny opened her mouth, but the woman waved a hand. "No, you know what? I've decided I don't want to know. Just go sit down, Bunny, that's a zero for the day – "

"Mrs. Ririko?"

The teacher and student both turned – well, in Bunny's case, it was more like spun – at the voice addressing Mrs. Ririko. Bunny's fists clenched as her eyes landed on the ebony-haired upperclassman standing in the doorway. Sighs escaped the lips of the other female members of the classroom, who gazed, starry-eyed, at the school's resident hunkmeister.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite honor student!" exclaimed Mrs. Ririko, pleasure spilling from her voice. She shot a look at her wayward blonde pupil. "You could do with taking a leaf out of Darien's book – he _always _does his homework – "

"Actually, Mrs. Ririko, Bunny did hers," interrupted Darien.

Mrs. Ririko was too busy blinking in confusion to notice the sly smirk the junior shot at Bunny, but Bunny caught it. Her fists began to curl in apprehension.

Darien – a bashful smile curving his lips for the sake of his audience – slowly pulled a familiar pink bag from behind his back. "She accidentally left her bookbag behind when we were at the arcade yesterday…" His voice trailed off suggestively.

Mrs. Ririko's eyes bulged.

Whispers and gasps broke out among the students.

Bunny screamed and lunged.

"YOU!"

_WHAP!_

"BIG!"

_WHAP!_

"FAT!"

_WHAP_!

"**_JERK_**!"

"OW!" Darien bellowed, grabbing his severely bruised skull with one hand and Bunny's arm with the other. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

"Like you don't know!" Bunny hissed at him, brandishing her pink schoolbag dangerously in his face. "Now everyone thinks we were TOGETHER at the arcade! We weren't even AT the arcade yesterday, you conniving cobra!"

"Did you just learn alliteration in English class?" demanded Darien, still rubbing his head.

Bunny flushed and scowled. "Don't you dare try to change the subject!" She hit him with her bag again. "My shoes were in here! Because of your _hilarious_ little prank, I had to walk the three blocks to school in _stiletto _heels! Do you _know_ how painful that is?"

"Can't say that I do," replied Darien with a malicious chuckle.

"Well, YOU DO NOW!"

**_STOMP!_**

_"AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"_

* * *

"This is all your fault."

"Is not!"

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Not not not not."

"Is is is is is is."

"NOT!"

"IS!"

"CHILDREN!" The secretary loomed over them with a dangerous growl. "I ran out of Midol, and I am THIS close to duct-taping both of your mouths SHUT. You do NOT want to mess with me."

Darien's eyes bulged and he began to splutter. Bunny turned a furious red and hid her face behind her hands in mortification. The secretary smirked wolfishly and clicked away, back behind the desk.

"That was soooooo embarrassing," Bunny muttered, voice muffled behind her hands. "I HATE you, Shields."

"What, you think I enjoyed hearing about Midol? I'm a GUY, for God's sake!"

"I thought we established yesterday that you were actually female?"

"ODANGO – "

"MIDOL!" came the shriek, and Darien hastily closed his mouth.

Silence reigned again. Darien shifted, trying to get comfortable in the hard plastic seat that sat outside the principal's office. Bunny tugged at her skirt, messed with her bow, and fiddled with her hair, jumping a mile in the air every time a phone rang or a computer beeped.

"Aren't you Mrs. Ririko's favorite student?" she whispered finally, looking at Darien. "If she likes you so much, then why'd she send you to the principal's office?"

"You think _I _can fathom anything in that old bat's mind?" Darien replied incredulously. "Who knows why she sent _me_ here – _you_ were the one inflicting bodily harm." He cradled his injured bare foot in his lap for a moment, straightening the bandage that the nurse had wrapped around it before hustling them into the discipline office. "Geez, you couldn't have impaled the other foot? This one already felt the wrath of your high heels."

Bunny flushed, averting her eyes. "I _meant _to," she admitted. "I guess I just, ah, got distracted and forgot."

"Sure you did," retorted Darien. "I bet you just forgot the difference between left and right."

"I did not!" But the darkening of the blush on Bunny's cheeks betrayed her. She began to sniff. "Why are you so MEAN to meeeeeee, Darieeeeeeeeeeen?"

"The principal is ready to see you two troublemakers now." The secretary scowled at them and jerked her head at the door.

Darien silently thanked God that the secretary had arrived just in time to cut off one of Bunny's wailing fits. Otherwise he might be deaf right now.

"Oh, man, we're gonna dieeeee…." whispered Bunny frantically, grabbing his sleeve. "Quick, Darien, we can still make a run for it – "

"No such luck, Odango Atama," Darien grabbed the doorknob.

"Mr. Shields, Miss Tsukino." The principal looked up from his sheaf of papers, eyes stern behind his half-rimmed reading glasses. "Come in, take a seat."

"Um – I'm really sorry," Bunny squeaked out, cowering slightly behind Darien's back. Darien began to laugh at her, then quickly turned the sound into a cough when the principal threw him a reproving glare. "I didn't MEAN to make a hole in Darien's foot. I tripped. Really!"

The principal eyed the blonde. "I would believe that, Miss Tsukino, given your propensity for, ah, stumbling." Bunny flushed. "But I also know what a…ah, explosive, relationship the two of your share – "

"WE DON'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP!" yelled Bunny and Darien in concert, glaring first at the principal and then at each other.

The principal loosened his collar nervously. "Yes…ah…well. What I mean to say is that it is quite within the realm of believability to think that you, Bunny, deliberately gored Darien's foot. After all, I don't think any of us have forgotten the, ah, Spring Fling incident."

Bunny and Darien both flushed, studiously avoiding each others' eyes.

"However, Darien, from what I hear, is not entirely to blame. Both of yoru behaviors is becoming disruptive, so you are going to be punished." Bunny paled. "What my psychiatrist has advised me to do with you two is to – Good God, what was that!"

The principal and the two students whirled around, ears still ringing with the bloodcurdling scream they had just heard.

Bunny's fingers clenched around her brooch as they all barreled out of the office. Her heart pounded in her throat. _Oh my God…what if it's a youma!_

* * *

A/N: Ooh! Cliffhanger! How thrilling!

You guys all rock – I have NEVER had so many reviews for a story. All my angsty stories COMBINED have never had this many reviews. You guys are all so sweet, and there's too many of you to even name…Just suffice it to say that I LOVE you ALL, and if you like this story so far, check out my latest one-shot, _To Risk the Thorns_. Believe it or not, it's got a happy ending!

Thanks, guys! Love ya!

EightofSwords


	3. At the Arcade

A/N: Oh my gosh, you guys! I'm so sorry! In Chapter Two, I made Serena say that she and Darien hadn't even been at the arcade the day before, but they HAD! I screwed up! I'm REALLY sorry, and I hope you don't mind too bad.

At any rate, before I start the new chapter, I think I need to straighten out something. (I think some of you are confused, cause I haven't written the story as clearly as it should have been.) Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars have already been found. They just haven't come into the story yet, because I haven't needed them to. Um, also, a lot of you guys have told me in your reviews that you prefer Serena to Serena, so I've changed the names in this chapter.

In this chapter, Ami and Rei are portrayed as sufferers of OCD and pyromania. If you take any offense at my portrayal of them, I am extremely sorry. In no way, shape, or form am I trying to insult or degrade people with pyromania or OCD.

Disclaimer: If I made a wish on the Holy Grail, would I own Sailor Moon?

* * *

Subject to Change

* * *

_What if it's a youma?_ Darien's hands clenched as he sprinted past Serena and the principal towards the origin of the scream. _I can't transform into Tuxedo Mask in front of Serena! She'll find out my secret identity!_

Unbeknownst to Darien, Serena was thinking the same thing. Well…almost the same thing.

_Oh my God! I can't transform in front of Darien! He'll see me NAKED!_

(A/N: Strangely enough, neither of them thought to worry about the principal. I guess that's just what happens to people in the Sailor Moon universe who don't have Sailor Crystals.)

Finally, the trio rounded the corner of the office building. They were greeted by a sidewalk that was deserted except for a blue-haired girl sprawled, sobbing, across the concrete.

"Where's the youma? Where's the youma?" Darien panted, looking wildly about.

"AMI!" exclaimed Serena incredulously, ignoring the upperclassmen. She rushed to the weeping girl, grabbing her shoulders and lifting her up from the concrete. "Ami, what's wrong!"

"Oh…Serena…it's horrible," Ami hiccupped, sniffing and wiping tears from her eyes. "I…I stepped on a CRACK!" She dissolved into tears again, her shoulders heaving.

"Oh, my," sighed the principal, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Nurse!"

"Not again," muttered Darien, watching the two girls and shaking his head. "This is the fourth time this week. She's getting to be as bad as Serena!"

"Hey!" Serena's head jerked up. " I HEARD that!"

"Serena!" Ami hiccupped tearfully, peering mournfully up at her blonde friend. "Don't you CARE?" She sniffed. "Now my mom's going to break her back and be paralyzed for the rest of her life – and all you care about doing is yelling at DARIEN!"

"Miss Mizuno, you haven't taken your medication yet today, have you?" injected the nurse smoothly, arriving on the scene and leading a distressed Ami away by the elbow. "Here, you come along with me, dear, we'll clean you up – "

"But I broke my mommy's BACK!" Ami sobbed.

" – and we'll call the hospital so that you can talk to your mother and she can assure you that she's not paraplegic," finished the nurse soothingly. She threw a glance over her shoulder at Darien. "Remember, young man, wipe that hole with hydrogen peroxide every couple of hours. The bleeding should have stopped by this afternoon." She disappeared, dragging Ami behind her.

The principal massaged his sweat-sheened forehead and waved a hand at his secretary, the one who had screamed her lungs out at Serena and Darien. "Irma, could you go call my psychiatrist and tell him I'll be dropping in for an unscheduled appointment?"

Irma the pre-menstrual secretary rolled her eyes and stalked inside to make the phone call.

The principal turned his attention back to Darien and Serena. The blonde had reverted from her concerned friend mode to scared, trembling Serena rabbit mode, while the upperclassman maintained his aloof "_I'm a genius, so you can't punish me_" expression.

"I'm too tired to deal with the pair of you," said the poor man under the weight of Darien's superior stare. "Just – ah – a week's worth of detention. And make sure it doesn't happen again, Miss Tsukino!" he added, but was unheard above the jubilant squeal Serena let out.

""What are you so happy about?" demanded Darien. "He gave us a week of detention!"

"What's so bad about that?"

Darien shook his head and snorted. "I forgot that Odango Atamas like you are in detention everyday anyways. Oh well, that just means more time to make fun of you!"

"I think you forgot about something, Jerkwad," retorted Serena.

Darien smirked, crossing his arms over his uniform blazer. "And what would that be, Odango?"

"I'm still wearing high heels!"

**STOMP!**

"AAAAAARGGGHHHH!"

* * *

"Wait, so let me get this straight," said Rei incredulously, leaning across the table towards Serena. "You impaled Darien's foot with a seven-centimeter long stiletto-heeled shoe, and all you got was a week of detention?" 

"Yup!" answered Serena cheerfully. She bent down and started rummaging in her bag. "Which reminds me…ah! Here they are!" She pulled out the pair of high heels in question and shoved them across the café table at Rei. "Thanks for lending them to me, Rei-chan!"

"Yeah, yeah," Rei grumbled in reply, and peered around surreptitiously before stuffing the shoes into her own schoolbag. If Luna found out that she had lent Serena Sailor Mars' high heels, she would have both of their heads.

"So, that's why Darien's not at the arcade today?" Rei asked, glancing at the empty counter at the front of the café, where Darien usually sat with his cup of highly caffeinated soda.

Serena shrugged. "How should I know anything about that egotistical cheesebrain?"

"Cheesebrain, huh? That's a new one."

Serena's face turned a furious shade of crimson as the "egotistical cheesebrain" slid into the booth beside her. Rei tilted her head, her eyes zoning in on the fiery hue, and wondered if she could make one of her Mars Fireballs turn that color. Ooh, it would be so pretty…

"Go away, jerk," Serena commanded, planting a hand on his arm and trying to shove him out of the booth. Her small hand was no match for gravity, however, and Darien just smirked at her futile attempt. Ami glanced up from her chemistry textbook .

"Be careful, Serena, you might get germs from him," she warned anxiously. "There's a new bacterial strain sweeping through suburban Tokyo, and…"

Ami babbled on, unnoticed by either Darien and Serena, who were engaging in a vicious match of thumb-war ("OUCH! Odango, you're not allowed to use your nails in a thumb-war! God, haven't you made enough holes in me for one day!") or Rei, on whose dazed face a dreamy smile was unfurling.

"Darien!" _At the girls' table! _Motoki nearly dropped the tray he was holding when he arrived at the girls' tables with the shakes they had ordered. "Uh…" His eyes traveled from the Serena and Darien's clasped hands, to Serena's face, to Darien's face, then back again. "Did I miss something?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Motoki!" Serena gasped, ripping her hand out of Darien's. "Me? With this jerk? Never!"

"You can say that again," said Darien, blowing on his injured hand. "That _hurt_, Odango Atama."

Serena stuck her tongue out at him.

Motoki, who had been in the process of setting a strawberry shake on the tabletop, jerked violently and turned to gape at them. Some pink ice cream slopped over the sides of the glass and landed on the table with a splat. The two enemies glanced at each other, then back at Motoki. "What?" they asked suspiciously.

"You…you just agreed on something!" Motoki exclaimed. "Oh, man, someone check the temperature down under!" He turned wildly to Ami and Rei. "Did you two just see that?"

Neither of the girls answered. Both seemed to be in a daze. Rei was staring intently at Serena – no, _through_ Serena – and rubbing her hands together, while Ami was staring fixedly at the puddle of strawberry ice cream on the tabletop.

"Ah…" the bluenette said in a strangled voice, one cloudy blue eye twitching spasmodically. "cOuLd…sOmeBoDY…wIpE…tHAt…UP?"

"Oh!" Serena jumped up, snatching a napkin from the dispenser, and quickly did as her friend asked.

"Oh, thank you." Ami's shoulders slumped with relief. "That was driving me CRAZY!" She pulled out a disinfectant wipe and whistled as she swabbed the tabletop with it.

"Crazy is an understatement," muttered Darien. "Hey, what's up with your other friend, Odango? She looks like she's high!"

"Don't call me ODANGO!" hissed Serena, face flushing angrily again.

"AAAAHHHH! SO RED!" Rei jumped up and grabbed Motoki by the apron. "MOTOKI – MATCHES! WHERE MATCHES?"

Wide-eyed, Motoki fumbled frantically in his pocket and held out a book of them to Rei.

"MUST….MAKE…RED…FIRE!" Rei jumped off of Andrew and began laughing maniacally. She whipped out one match, then another, and another, until she held a whole bouquet of them in her fingers.

"Oh, my," murmured Ami. "Serena, I do believe Rei's having another of her fits again."

"Really?" Serena's teeth chattered, and definitely not from cold. She flinched as Rei leapt up and crouched on top of the table. "I couldn't tell."

"RED! RED! RED!"

Serena's eyes bulged as the chanting Rei thrust the matches and the matchbook three inches inch in front of her nose.

"RED! RED!"

Rei swiped the matches across the matchbox. They roared to life, and Serena shrieked, pressing herself back into the booth cushion until she could go no further.

"RED! RED!" Rei commanded, pushing the matches further towards Serena. Her eyebrows knit angrily. "RED! _RED!_"

"EEEEK!" Serena dove sideways, away from the flaming matches and the crazed Rei. She squeezed her eyes shut, burrowing into the softness of the booth cushion. "AMIIIIIIII, REI'S TRYING TO ROAST MEEEEE!"

_Splash._

"It's alright, Serena, you can come out now." Ami's voice, logical and calm, spoke.

Serena cracked one eyelid open tentatively. "Are you…sure?"

"Hey, why am I all wet?" Rei asked confusedly, then gasped. "Oh my God, of all the days to wear white!"

Ami ignored Rei's panicked outburst and continued speaking. "Well, I'm sure Darien would let you stay if you really find his lap that comfortable – "

Serena shrieked and rocketed to the other side of the booth bench. Her hands covered her flaming face in mortification (which was a good thing, considering that Rei still had a few matches left in the matchbook), and she peeked through her fingers at Darien, who wore a smirk; Motoki, who couldn't have looked more shell-shocked even if he was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle; Rei, who had her arms wrapped around her chest and wore a murderous glare; and Ami, who had already gone back to reading her chemistry book.

"Oh my gosh," Serena moaned into her hands. "I did NOT just do that. That did NOT just happen to meeeee!"

"Uh, hello?" Rei's biting voice cut through Serena's wail. "You're not the one who's soaking wet and wearing a white shirt!"

"That's your own fault," Serena retorted, voice muffled by her fingers. "In case you hadn't noticed, you were trying to set my FACE on fire!"

"And your face is so red right now that it looks like her endeavor succeeded, Odango." Darien's voice joined in, dripping with amusement. "So, tell me, Odango, is my lap really that comfortable?"

"It is NOT!" Serena screeched, snatching a handful of napkins from the dispenser and flinging them at him. "Go AWAY!"

"What happened, Odango? You were so eager to be close to me a minute ago."

"It was either that or be turned into a human **flambé**!" Serena pounded his arm with her fists. "And If I was given the choice NOW, I'd choose the flambe!"

"Aw, you're just playing hard to get." The ebony-haired upperclassman smirked.

"Good God, would you two just get a ROOM, already?" snapped Rei. "Honestly, I don't see why I even bothered lending you those shoes, Serena. You two STILL find a way to flirt even after you've gored a hole in his foot."

"YOU gave her those weapons of mass destruction!" bellowed Darien, lunging.

Rei's eyes bulged, and she threw herself backwards, smushing against the back of the booth as her blonde friend (or victim? Or human sacrifice?) had done only moments before. Darien's outstretched hands hovered inches away from her throat. "Serena!" she yelped. "A little help here!"

"After that comment you just made about getting a room?" Serena snorted and thrust her nose in the air, folding her arms across her chest. "Dream on, Pyro."

"Really, you guys, this is getting out of hand," sighed Motoki as he watched Darien's attempt to choke Rei across the table, while Serena cheered both of them on. He had never known the blonde could be so sadistic. "Ami, can't you do anything about them?"

The blue-haired genius shot him a skeptical look. "The odds of my succeeding in breaking up a fight between Serena and Darien are precisely three billion, two hundred seventy-three million, four hundred and sixty five."

"So…I'm guessing that's a no, then?"

"It's a no," confirmed Ami. She regarded her vanilla milkshake for a moment. "Hey, Motoki, you guys do pressure-wash these shake glasses, right?"

* * *

_Four hours later:_

"Hey, watch it, Odango Atama!" Darien dodged an ice cube and shot her a venomous scowl.

"Sorry," Serena gasped out, giggling. She darted behind Motoki with a squeal as Darien picked up Motoki's broom and spun it around expertly. "I was aiming for Rei, promise!"

Darien rolled his eyes. "Yeah, just like you didn't mean to step on my foot, you just tripped!" He lunged with the broom.

Serena squealed and hid her face in the back of Motoki's shirt. Darien fell face-first on the tile as he tripped over the foot Ami had innocently stuck out. Rei shrieked triumphantly, slapping Ami five. Ami promptly whipped out another disinfectant wipe and scrubbed her palm with it.

"Eat linoleum, Jerkwad!" Serena cheered into Motoki's shirt.

"Uh…Usa?" Motoki twisted around to look down at the blonde head pressed into his back and shaking with smothered laughter. "It's getting dark outside…aren't your parents going to be worried?"

"Dark?" Serena's head popped up, and she leaned past Andrew to peer out the café window at the darkening street. "Oh my god! It IS! And I didn't get any of my homework doooooooone – "

**Beep. Beep. Beeeeeeep.**

Serena's face drained of color, and Rei froze where she had been about to pour a package of creamer on the head of an unsuspecting Darien. Both their heads swiveled towards the bluenette in the booth. "Ami?"

"Motoki-san is absolutely correct," Ami said, rising stiffly to her feet. Her blue eyes flicked towards Serena's. "Serena, Luna will be very angry if we don't go now."

"Why would the Odango's _cat_ be angry with her?" inquired Darien with a hint of sarcasm, quirking an eyebrow.

"She doesn't like it when I don't feed her on time, duh," said Serena, rolling her eyes. _Ah, good save._ She mentally patted herself on the back."Get a brain, moron." She turned and jerked her head at her friends. "C'mon, you guys."

Darien and Motoki blinked as the three girls blurred out of the arcade, leaving several windblown patrons gaping in their wake.

"Y'know," remarked Motoki thoughtfully, retreating back behind his counter, "if I didn't know better, I'd think those girls have medical conditions."

* * *

A/N: Eh. I didn't really like that chapter. Not only did I write it in fragments between classes (so it felt disjointed), but I'm afraid my OCD/Pyromaniac portrayals may be off. I've never met a real sufferer of pyromania or obsessive-compulsive disorder before, so I was mostly going on what I've read in books. I don't know. If any of you know people who have OCD or are pyros, tell me in your review what they're like. I need definitive advice. 

However, other than that…I've got big plans for this, um, series (if you could call it that.) I have a bunch of interesting plot twists all planned out already! squeals excitedly I'm planning lots of romance, too…this'll be my first experience writing actual romance and character chemistry, too, since in all my other fics, I've cut off the story before it could get mushy. But not this time!

Um…this is a really long A/N, I'm sorry, but…if you've got the time, check out my fic _The Scythe Reaps What Is Sown_. I've got a lot of it planned out, and I've posted two chapters, but I've only gotten one review (thank you, Meg-san!). I'm going to post another chapter, and if I don't get a lot of reviews after that, I think I'll take the story off. So…um…please check it out and tell me if you think it's worth continuing or not.

Domo arigatou, minna-chan!

EightofSwords


	4. Moon Versus Motherboard

A.N: Finally! A new chapter! I grieved over this one so much – because, lemme tell you guys a little secret beckons everyone in close so she can whisper in your ears I suck at writing battle scenes. I'm too lazy to dream up cool youmas – although come to think of it, the ones of the show aren't all that creative, either. gasps, and slaps self Naughty Sword-chan! How could you speak such sacrilege? Sweatdrop Yeah, I'm acting kinda weird right now…I only got five hours of sleep last night cause I was up reading fanfic. starry-eyed

Anyways, I'm sorry this chapter took me so long. My mom had to go to ER to get her appendix removed, and I had to watch my two little sisters, so I was kinda stressed – to put it mildly!

Um, before you start reading – I only thought it fair of me, since you guys took all that time to review me, that I thank you for the reviews! So here, look for your name, and then move on to Chapter Four of _Subject to Change!_

**Princess-serena**: Yes, CLIFFY! I love your enthusiasm! You use capital letters like me!

**Rockfreak2003**: I always love your reviews. You're always so curious!

**Starlit Warrior**: Cool name – kinda makes me think of armor with star gel inside it (I'm just bizarre that way) – ooh, it could, like, deflect stuff…wow…new story idea…starry eyes Thanks!

**Starsketch:** Another cool name. (I love anything with star in it)

**Sirenic Griffin:** Congrats on your big word! Hey, wouldn't it be ironic if "humorous" showed up on your SAT test? LOL!

**Real Sugar Baby**: Thanks for the advice! (I love it when readers actually tell me something to change, that's the whole point of reviews, right?) I'm gonna work on more action, less chatting. Heheheh…that's the first time anything I've written has been described as "sexy"….YES! It's like crossing a milestone in my career! dances around in glee

**oOtHeReSeOo:** Whoah. Do you ever get tired of typing all that when you register on Complicated capitals! Domo arigatou for the reviews!

**Revolutionnaire Rouge**: Another awesome name…like Onigiri! Your concern touched my heart, Giri-chan. wipes away a tear But no Cow Liver Loser is gonna bring ME down! whips out Eight-sword FOR NAN-CHAN! charges

**Yunyin**: I love the new perspective, too – I love reading first season fics where Usa and Mamo-san don't know each other's alter egos yet…hey, have you read any of Princess Destiny's fics? If you like this, I promise you'll LOVE hers!

**Selphie108**: No! I love Ami and Rei, they're awesome…I didn't mean for them to seem like such idiots in this fic; my humor just came out kind of twisted. wince Sorry about that. I'm working on it. Anyway…I agree with your comment about Serena and Darien! They're totally cute together! And Darien's hot by himself! I guess Usa is, too, but I'm a girl, and I don't really swing that way, so, um, yeah…

**Cosmoprincesslight18**: Another mouthful! Thank you – I promise to update soon!

**Vixen519**: Wow…you're scary. Just kidding! I admire you…I hit guys where it hurts, too – in the ego! Just ask Revolutionnaire Rouge, she's witnessed quite a couple of my attacks… Those boys get the point, though, don't they – especially if you're wearing stiletto heels! (If you'll excuse the pun…LOL)

The Scouts are here now…though they won't be an integral part of the story, I think. Jupiter might show up, I'm not entirely sure yet. grins

**Princess Seren**: Stop! You're making me blush... ; )

**Insanechildfanfic**: Ooh…can I have your name? Thanks for the review!

**Icy Frost and Blue Angel**: I…think…I'm…in love….with…your reviews! MORE, please! LOL

**Animix-chix**: Why, thank you. I promise to write as much as I can as fast as I can…darn homework keeps getting in the way…thanks for the pyro advice, I need all I can get.

**Moonangel0905**: Yeah, I noticed my story was kinda rushed, too. I really need to slow down and savor the suspense! Merci beaucoup for your review!

**feudaltera**: Thank you! I'm gonna try and fix Ami and Rei, I promise!

**Nanie-san**: Poor Motoki. He's so oblivious, isn't he? But we love him anyway – just not as much as we love Darien! I'm glad you liked my Ewok reference. Which is more annoying, an Ewok or Jar Jar Binks? (My apologies to anyone who actually likes those characters…please don't hate me!)

**Nekoinhanyou**: Thank you. I find your name quite interesting. How'd you come up with it? Is it an acronym for something? A lot of readers agreed with your request to change Bunny's name, so I changed it, and it does fit the story better. Thanks!

**Rakusa**: Motoki's ignorance really is hilarious is you think about it – after all, he's got what, three of the Sailor Senshi drooling after him, and he never even suspects anything about their identities or their crushes! He is truly a blonde (and a male), that's for sure. Usa may be sanest, but if she keeps hanging out with Darien and the Scouts, she's definitely gonna end up in a leather chair in some psychiatrist's office! _Usagi, save yourself while you can!_

**Anime enthusiast**: Okay…but only because you said please. grin

**Princess Fire:** I will do my best, Hi-hime. salute

**OceanicGoddess**: AWESOME! His shoes still have the hole – that is so COOL! Man, I've got some gutsy readers… Why'd you do it to him? Was he being a real jerk, or was he…covertly flirting with you? giggle Gimme details, girl!

**Newfie Child**: OMG, THNK U SO MCH! I PROMISE TO UPD8 SOON!

**Ffgirlmoonie**: yes, cliffhangers are torture, aren't they? At least I add new chapters, though…I hate when I'm reading a discontinued story that's like five years old, and it ends on a cliffhanger! breaks into sobs Like some of Princess Destiny's wonderful fics! Or Draegyn's! WAAAAAAHHHHH! (now I sound like Serena…)

**eternalsailorcosmo**: Yeah, Bunny in high heels is slightly frightening…but not as scary as Darien in them!

**meg-of-the-moon: **Ah, Meg-san, Meg-san. I, too, wish that I could walk in stilettos. I'm way too clumsy – my friends always tease me because I somehow find ways to trip over flat cement. I'm jealous of you, though – you have a baka to use the stilettos on. I want a baka to use high heels on, too! sniff, sniff Oh, well, someday Daniel Radcliffe will come around. giggle As always, thank you, Meg-chan! Luffles you too! Here's some French for you – _J'adore Sailor Moon_ (I love Sailor Moon!)

**Serenity-hime:** Whoah. Okay, I was reading your bio last time I was on and girl, you DO sound just like Bunny. Wow. That's creepy – not! It's so COOL! Call me if you and your Endy ever need a Sailor Jupiter, eh? (well…except for that I'm really short, too…my friends can talk right over my head when they hold a conversation…so embarrassing! blush Oh, well, my Geometry teacher says that short people live longer. Of course, he's Japanese and only a couple of inches taller than me, so maybe he's biased…grin) As always, thank you SO MUCH for your reviews and suggestions. (Your steaks are delicious…teeheehee) I'm gonna look for that OCD movie, cause I NEED it!

Disclaimer: My psychiatrist says that I don't own Sailor Moon, but I don't believe her.

* * *

**Subject to Change**

* * *

"Mars! Quit trying to set the ink cartridges on fire, and haul your butt over here!" Sailor Moon shrieked, ducking behind a stack of Gateways to avoid the stream of staples the youma was emitting from one of her arms. "NOW!"

"You want me to burn those meatballs of yours, Odango Atama?" Mars snapped. Nevertheless, she dropped the smoldering container and went to Serena's aid. "MARS FIREBALL CHARGE!" The staples melted in midair and splashed in a silvery puddle on the linoleum floor, smoking slightly. Mars planted her fists on her hips. "There. Are you happy NOW?"

"Thanks, Pyro," Sailor Moon gritted out, peeking around the Gateway boxes. She quickly retreated again as a swivel chair sailed through the air mere inches from her head. Mars dove down to join her.

Sailor Moon twisted around, trying to find the third Senshi without presenting herself as a target to the youma. "Mercury? Where are you?"

"And what's taking so long to find the stupid youma's weak spot, darn it!" added Mars viciously, glaring through a crack in the boxes at the youma. Her eyes suddenly glazed over as they landed on some items a couple aisles over. "Hmm, what do we have here? Flame-retardant mousepads? We'll just see about that!" Sailor Mars began to slither across the dusty linoleum towards the computer accessories aisle, paying no attention whatsoever to the youma a few feet away.

Sailor Moon groaned and pounded her head against the Gateway boxes, knowing that when Rei's inner pyro took over, there was no stopping her… "Darn, darn, darn, darn, darn – oops."

This last word she uttered as her head-pounding caused the tower of Gateway boxes to topple over. The youma's eyes – fashioned to look like CPU power buttons – met hers. Sailor Moon squeaked.

"MERCURYYYYYYYYYY" Sailor Moon squealed as she raced down the fax machine aisle, the youma hot on her heels. "WHERE ARE YOUUUUUUUUUU?"

She turned the corner and dashed into the next aisle, only to see her blue-haired friend standing in front of the scientific calculators and muttering agitatedly to herself.

"MERCURY!" With a colossal sigh of relief, Sailor Moon snagged the girl by her sailor collar and dragged her down the aisle. The bluenette let out a shriek and began to thrash wildly.

"What are you doing? Let GO! I have to finish pressing the buttons!" she howled, digging the heels of her boots into the linoleum and heaving herself free of Sailor Moon's grasp. "The TI-89 might explode if I don't press the Cosine button!"

Sailor Moon watched in shock as Sailor Mercury zipped out of sight, back towards the calculators. Her lower lip trembled.

She had been so thrilled to hear that the youma was attacking an office store – somewhere OTHER than the park! But this was fifty times WORSE! Mars was preying on defenseless mouse pads, and Mercury was defusing calculators! _And_ Darien Shields had detention! With HER! Had the whole world gone **MAD**?

"Ah-hah! There you are, Sailor Brat!"

Sailor Moon spun, blue eyes wide. She was backed into a corner – between the copy machines and the filing cabinets. The youma zoomed towards her – instead of legs, it had a wheels like a swivel chair – and whipped something huge and bulky out of its briefcase.

"Well, aren't you in a bind?" cackled the youma, brandishing the object in her hand. Sailor Moon blanched as she realized what it was – one of those heavy duty four-inch binders! That thing could KILL her! Or at least put a serious dent on her forehead!

The youma laughed at her own pun, bringing her other arm – the staple-shooting one – up to bear on Sailor Moon. "Oh, I really should have gone into the comedian business! I put myself in stitches – and how about I put you in staples?" She hurled the binder at Sailor Moon and opened fire simultaneously.

Sailor Moon trembled, eyes darted around. Time seemed to slow. Involuntarily, her eyes went to the clock hanging on the wall near the front of the store. Go figure this would be the one time he didn't show up to save her butt –

"You can show up any time now, Tuxedo Mask!" she muttered shakily under her breath, eyes fastening onto the binder and staple hurtling straight towards her. Sailor Moon squeezed her eyes shut, and –

"Aw, I'm not that late, am I?"

Her eyes popped open as the teasing voice entered her ears and arms closed around her. "Tuxedo Mask…" she whispered, twisting in his arms to see his eyes. Her heart pounded; he wore a silly grin, and she did, too; she could feel herself melting – She tore her eyes away from his lips resolutely. "What took you so long?"

His grin didn't fade, and neither did hers, though she turned her face away to hide it from him. She dimly saw that they had landed on top of one of the tall shelves – she could see Mercury frantically punching buttons, and the youma struggling to yank the rose from between her wheels, and over at the far side of the store, she could see a plume of smoke curling up from one of the aisles. It seemed that those mousepads weren't so flame-retardant after all.

Sailor Moon glanced back at Tuxedo Mask, determined to hear him answer. His eyes sparkled.

"I can't have you taking my rescues for granted, now, can I? Then where would all the suspense be?"

"I'll show you the suspense!" exclaimed Sailor Moon, a little angrily, grabbing his hand and placing it near her collarbone. "_There_'s the suspense! Can you feel my heart? It's going a thousand miles a minute – I thought I was a goner back there!"

"You really think I would have let you get hurt?" An emotion flashed across his face, too quickly for her to identify it. Almost before it appeared, it was gone, and his eyes twinkled teasingly at her once more through the mask. "Don't you trust me, Sailor Moon?"

His hand fell from her heart to her hand, his warmth seeping through the material of his glove and hers. She couldn't breathe.

"Now, Sailor Moon." His words tickled her ear.

She nodded without tearing her eyes from his and removed her tiara, feeling as though she were suspended in some spell. Her fingers moved mechanically, tossed the tiara towards the spot she had last seen the youma. Still, without taking her eyes from his.

She dimly heard a screech, abruptly cut off. Warmth reappeared on her brow, but she barely noticed it; it was in no way comparable to the warmth of his hand.

"Marvelous." His bangs brushed hers. "You don't need me at all, see?"

_There, Tuxedo Mask, you are wrong._ Her lips curved whimsically, sealing those words away and replacing them with different ones."Yes, but where would the fun be without you?"

"Exactly." The laughter escaping his lips ruffled her hair and melted her insides. Her forehead brushed his, and she smiled goofily up at him. He mirrored her expression.

They stood like that for a moment, sinking into the dream-like wonder of the moment. Not thinking about the Senshi, or the Dark Kingdom, or the world, because none of it mattered. He was here, and she was here, and they were _together_…

He disentangled his hand from hers, but her fingers were not left empty.

Bumping his forehead against hers one last time, Tuxedo Mask leapt down from the shelf and vanished from the store.

Sailor Moon lifted the red rose to brush its silky petals across her lips and watched him go.

It felt familiar.

* * *

"I must say, Serena, I am very disappointed in you girls' progress." Luna raised a disapproving eyebrow at Serena while the blonde shed her school uniform with a yawn. "We have only just been able to keep the Negaverse at bay, and we're nowhere near to finding either the Princess or the Silver Crystal."

Serena stepped into her warmest pair of pajamas – the red ones with little plates of spaghetti spattering the material (it had been her Christmas gift from Rei – go figure) and yawned again, crossing over to her bed. "Don't get all mad at _me_, Luna. The other girls haven't done anything either."

"Serena!" gasped Luna in shock. "How could you speak about your fellow Senshi like that!"

"Well, I'm sick of being the only one you chew out," replied Serena matter-of-factly as she slid into bed. "_I_'m the one who always dusts the youmas – Rei's always too busy setting stuff on fire, and Ami –" Serena scratched her head. "Well, Ami does weird stuff, too, I just haven't figured out exactly what it is yet. But I dusted that youma today all by myself!" _Well, with a little help from Tuxedo Mask, but somehow I don't think Luna would like hearing that._ "How about a little more credit and a little less blame?"

Luna sniffed, lifting her chin imperiously as she settled under the blankets beside Serena. "I'll give you credit when you start giving me results – YOWL!" She screeched suddenly and sprang up out of the bed and the spreading wet spot. "What was that for?"

"Oops." Serena giggled innocently, setting an empty glass on her nightstand. "Did I spill my water on you? _So_ sorry." She turned over and curled up on the opposite side of the bed, away from the wet spot where she had dumped the water on top of her cat. "Night, Luna."

The black cat only hissed in reply, but Serena was already floating off into Elysion.

* * *

"Whoah." Darien flopped down on his bed, still clad in his tuxedo, cape and all. He grinned up at the dark ceiling, feeling an inane happiness sweeping through him. Sailor Moon's smiling face swam into focus in his mind, and he closed his eyes to better enjoy the image. Her smile could light up all Tokyo, he was sure – if it could light up the deep recesses of his heart the way it had managed to do just ten minutes ago, heck, it was capable of lighting up all of Japan!

He heaved a content sigh that turned into a muffled laugh, and pulled out his rose to power back down into his school uniform, still slightly damp from where Serena had pegged him with an ice cube before. Nothing could dampen his spirits, though, and he drifted off to sleep in his uniform, images of a pretty-suited soldier dancing through his head.

* * *

A/N: So? bounces excitedly up and down in chair What did you think? I know it's short, but I put romance in, real ROMANCE! Well, kind of. I'm still proud of myself. YAY!

So…some chemistry between the Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, hmm? How will this affect Serena and Darien's relationship? Well…..you'll just have to read on and find out! (I know, I'm evil.) Remember, miina-san – LONG JUICY reviews! Pretty please with a cherry on top! Actually, no, make that a strawberry! Or a hot tamale if you're flaming, but whatever! (Wow, exclamation points!) How were Mars and Mercury? Gimme suggestions!


	5. Like Rabid Lobsters

A/N: Um…some of you guys seem to think that Serena and Darien found out each other's secret identities in last chapter. They didn't – I'm sorry if my writing made it seem like they did. But no, that little bridge has not been crossed yet.

Anyway…_Chapitre Cinq est ici!_

Disclaimer : If wishes were henshin wands, we'd all be Senshi.

* * *

**Subject to Change**

* * *

"Zoicite – report." The sound of nails clicking on stone accompanied the cold voice. "How goes your scheme with the lesser Senshi?"

"Almost flawlessly, Your Majesty," responded a silky voice from the shadows. "As you noticed in the footage of the last battle, Mars and Mercury were of absolutely no use to the Moon-brat. The only hindrance was that ridiculous cape-boy – if we could get rid of him, our path would be clear to avenge Jadeite and Nephlite. The moon-brat is nothing by herself."

"So dispose of him."

Zoicite snorted. "If only it were that easy, my queen. The problem is not in getting rid of him, it is in getting him to linger at the battle long enough to get rid of him. He always disappears as soon as the youma is destroyed, and all he does is throw those ludicrous flowers and twirl around that silly cane – "

"Zoicite." Danger lurked in that voice.

"My queen." Zoicite realized her garrulous mistake and bowed her head.

"Do I care about these petty thoughts of yours?"

"No, my queen."

"Finally, you say something intelligent." The shadow on the throne shifted. "Formulate a plan to eliminate the superhero florist, then report back to me when you are finished."

"Yes, my queen." Zoicite bowed and melted back into the shadows.

* * *

"Run faster, Serena ! You're going to be late !"

Serena glared at her cat, swallowing the last bite of the toast she'd snatched before dashing out of the house a few minutes earlier. "And whose fault is that? You were supposed to wake me up, Luna!"

"I _tried,_" Luna snapped back. "But you were sleeping like the dead – not that that's at all unusual – but you were drooling and smiling...and muttering things…" Luna's eyes slanted craftily. "Were you having a good dream, Serena?"

Serena flushed a deep red and averted her eyes. Darn that cat for being so smart! And for waking her up this morning and interrupting her dream about Tuxedo Mask… Serena sighed and slowed to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk in front of the arcade, her eyes hazing over happily as she remembered all the mushy details of her dream… He had brought her a bouquet of roses and a Tuxedo Mask UFO doll like the kind in the machine at the arcade, and then he had bought her a triple scoop ice cream cone…

"ARGH! OUT OF MY WAY, ODANGO! I'M GOING TO BE LATE!"

Serena snapped out of her remembrance as a sinewy arm shoved her out of the way. A hand grabbed her by the arm before she could fall to the pavement, and yanked her forward down the path towards school.

"SHIELDS!" screeched Serena, finally regaining her voice and pumping her legs to keep up with his long strides. "WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA! You nearly cracked my skull open on that pavement, jerk!"

"At least there wouldn't be anything much to clean up," Darien retorted, not missing a pace. Serena twisted her head around to see if Luna was still following her, but that cursed cat had abandoned her somewhere between here and the arcade. "There's no brains in that cranium of yours to splatter on the sidewalk."

"I'm gonna splatter YOUR brains all over the sidewalk if you don't shut up," gritted out Serena, using her free hand – the one he wasn't holding – to bonk him fiercely on the head. She ignored the feeling of how soft his dark hair was, instead choosing to jerk her other hand out of his grasp. Then she darted ahead and turned to look at him over her shoulder, sticking her tongue out at him. "Last one to school's a mushy onigiri!"

* * *

_In the First Period Physics Classroom:_

"So…Darien…" Darien looked up from his Physics lab to see Asanuma surreptitiously sidling over to the lab table he and Motoki shared. "What's this I hear about you and Tsukino-san showing up at school together this morning?" The brown-haired boy flashed a sly grin.

"Really?" said Motoki curiously, leaning over from the opposite side of the table to join the conversation. "But that doesn't make any sense! Just yesterday they were at the arcade fighting like rabid lobsters!" (A/N: I bet twenty bucks you've never heard _that_ simile before.)

"Well, something must've changed over night, cause they showed up just before the late bell this morning with Serena riding on Darien's back." Asanuma grinned at the shell-shocked expression on Motoki's face.

"WHAT?"

"Boys!" The teacher snapped from the front of the classroom, where she was writing lab instructions on the chalkboard. She tapped her foot menacingly; Darien flinched and cowered at the sound of heels clicking on linoleum. "This is Physics class, not Cheerleading Practice! We don't scream."

Motoki flushed. "Sorry, Ms. Karounen. It won't happen again."

"It better not. If it does, you'll find yourself measuring your momentum as you walk to the principal's office!"

"Good." The severe-looking woman turned back to her formulas. Asanuma and Motoki leaned in again.

"So Darien was…_carrying_ Usa?" Motoki whispered incredulously.

Asanuma nodded. "Basically."

Darien snorted. His friend's heads swiveled around to regard him.

"You've been very quiet through all this, Darien," remarked Asanuma. "Would you like to explain this little event to us?"

Darien lowered his lab goggles, pinning them with a disdainful stare. "You two are pathetic, you know that?" Asanuma nodded, clamping a hand over Motoki's mouth to muffle the blonde's protest. Darien rolled his eyes. "You should get your mind out of the gutter, Asanuma. As if I'd ever like the Odango Atama like _that_."

"Why not?" Asanuma waggled his eyebrows. "Serena's hot."

Darien choked. "Asanuma!" He looked to Motoki for help. "'Toki!"

"Hey, it's true." Motoki shrugged. "Usa-chan's really popular among the lower-classmen. A lot of the upperclassmen like her, too. Heck, if I hadn't met Reika, I'd probably be a little hung up over her myself – "

"If you keep on like that, I think I'm gonna lose my breakfast," interrupted Darien with a grimace. "I can't believe you're thinking about the _Odango_ like that…anyway, the only reason we came like that this morning was because we collided on the street – as usual – and we raced to school. I got ahead of her at the last minute, and she jumped on my back in a very futile attempt keep me from beating her. That's all. There was _nothing_ romantic involved," Darien finished firmly. Okay, so Serena was cute, but he was devoted to Sailor Moon, and Sailor Moon only.

"Oh." Asanuma and Motoki looked disappointed. "That was _all_?"

"That was all."

"Man, you're so _boring_, Darien." Asanuma shook his head.

"Hey, why were you so late this morning, anyway, Dare?" Motoki inquired curiously. "Usually you're here half an hour before school starts and Usa barely makes the tardy bell."

"Uh…" Darien averted his eyes, scratching his neck sheepishly. "Ah…"

"Dude, you're starting to sound like the principal. Spit it out."

"WellIkindahadthisdreambutit'skindaembarassingsoIdon'twannatalkaboutit."

"What did you say…._Oh_." After a moment of bewilderment, realization dawned on Asanuma and Motoki's faces. They grinned. "One of _those_ dreams, huh?"

"Not like _that!_" Darien exclaimed, turning slightly red. He tugged at his collar, muttering. "You two are such hentai…it's a wonder the police haven't arrested you yet…"

"Who was the lucky dream girl?" Asanuma waggled his eyebrows, then blinked. "Or guy?"

"ASANUMA!"

"Hey, I was just making sure!" Asanuma grinned innocently. "Although, come to think of it, if you _were_ gay, you probably would've hit on me, since I'm so attractive and all – "

"Motoki," Darien whimpered, burying his face in his hands. "Make him stop…"

"Only if you tell us about the dream," replied Motoki with a smirk.

_I can't tell them I was dreaming about Sailor Moon!_ Darien thought in a panic. _Maybe if I just describe her_…

"Um, well, it was a _girl_," he began, throwing Asanuma a glare. "And – uh – I don't know who she was, exactly, but she was…really pretty." _Ha, talk about an understatement._ He smiled, picturing Sailor Moon in his mind's eye. God, had it had been difficult to get up that morning! And then to wake and realize it had all been only a dream… "Bright blue eyes, huge smile, blonde hair…"

"Uh oh." Asanuma elbowed Motoki. "I think I'm hearing a frighteningly accurate description of Serena Tsukino. Is that what you're hearing, Toki?"

"Indeed it is, Asanuma."

Darien blanched, the ramifications of their words slamming into him like a freight train. Blue eyes, blonde hair – but it was only a coincidence. It had to be. The two were totally different! One insulted him, one adored him – at least, he hoped she did – there was no way! They couldn't be one and the same!

"Methinks our Romeo be suspiciously silent. Dost you agree, Motoki?"

"Verily, I do, friend Asanuma."

"I was NOT dreaming about the Odango Atama!" Darien bellowed suddenly, snapping out of his stunned speechlessness. "Never in a thousand years!"

"Well…" Motoki exchanged a glance with Asanuma. "There aren't any other girls with blonde hair in Juuban."

"Maybe he wasn't dreaming about a girl in Juuban," suggested Asanuma. "Maybe he was dreaming about Britney Spears – I mean, Britney Federline. Or Paris Hilton. Or Madonna. She's a good-looking woman for her age, you know." (A/N: Opinions expressed by characters in this story do not necessarily – or in this case, DEFINITELY do not – reflect the author of this story.)

Motoki looked at Darien. "Shall we kill him?"

"Definitely."

The two boys lunged. Asanuma shrieked. The classroom dissolved into chaos.

* * *

_In the First Period Geometry Classroom:_

"Jinaro?"

"Present!"

"Katuro?"

"Right here, Miss Haruna."

"Mihara?"

"Here…unfortunately…"

"I'll choose to ignore that last comment, Miss Mihara…Mizuno?"

Silence.

"Mizuno?" Miss Haruna looked up from her role call, eyes flicking across the classroom. "Does anyone know where Ami is?"

Melvin stuck a hand in the air. "She's here, Miss H, she just hasn't finished touching all the doorknobs yet."

"Oh." Miss Haruna grimaced but did not mark Ami tardy. The administrators at the school were all very sensitive to the bluenette's daily morning ritual of touching the doorknob of each door in the school.

"EEEK!" A shriek was heard in the hall, then a blonde head rocketed into the classroom. "I'M LAAAAAAATE!"

"And here is Miss Tsukino," sighed Miss Haruna, marking the said student's name to denote her arrival. "Miss Tsukino, I hardly need inform you that you are tardy…_again_."

Serena had the grace to look ashamed as she shuffled to her desk. Her skirt was slightly wrinkled and her hair was windblown, as usual, from her lightning-fast dash to school. "Sorry, Miss H… I guess this means another detention?"

"Normally, it would," replied the teacher tartly. "However, it appears that you already have detention – today, and for the next two weeks." Miss Haruna raised her eyebrows knowingly at her student. "What did you do to Darien Shields this time, Serena?"

Serena squirmed. "I might've…um…stepped on his foot."

Miss Haruna's eyebrows invited Serena to elaborate. The blonde squirmed more.

"I might've…been…wearing high heels when I did it."

Miss Haruna rolled her eyes towards the heavens. _This girl…_ "Serena, I thought you would've learned from the Spring Fling incident…obviously, I was wrong. Well, sit down, and we'll start class. I'm sure Ami will be able to catch up…"

* * *

"SHIELDS! I was late today because of you!"

Darien rolled his eyes, turning around to look down at Serena. "When _aren't _you late, Odango?"

"That's not the point," protested Serena, pinning her hair up into loops with the extra bobby pins she had placed in her P.E. skort pocket. She was taking no chances with her hair today if they were doing gymnastics. "I COULD have been on time today, if you hadn't – "

"Hadn't what? Made you jump on my back?" interrupted Darien sardonically. "You were the one who decided to permanently damage my spinal column."

Serena blinked at the sarcasm that dripped from Darien's words. She felt slightly hurt – he had never been so mean to her before, in all their months of teasing– and extremely miffed. "Well, if you don't have a cat stuck up _your_ butt. What happened, did your girlfriend dump you?"

"You know I don't have a girlfriend, Odango," Darien gritted out.

"Oh, yeah, stupid me!" Serena slapped her forehead. "Who would be stupid enough to want to go out with a heartless, moronic _jerk_ like you?"

"Shut up, Odango Atama."

"Why don't you make me?"

"Just shut up."

Serena's lip curled. "Forget it. You're no fun to fight with when you're feeling sorry for yourself." She regarded him steadily for a moment. "I just came to remind you that we have detention today." She turned on her heel and walked away. "Jerk."

Serena spent the rest of gym class far away from Darien, which was a rather new experience for both of them. Despite their argumentative relationship, they usually always ended up together in gym class. Whether this was because neither Ami nor Molly were in the same gym class as Serena, or because of something else was a question that neither Serena nor Darien had ever bothered to ponder.

Darien was able to see, during this interlude, what Motoki and Asanuma had been talking about. The lesson that day was in archery, and a vast majority of the boys were offering their help to Serena, "accidentally" brushing their hand against hers as they showed her how to string the bow, how to hold the bow and notch the arrow, or how to remove the arrow from the target. It was sickening, really, watching all those lovesick males tripping over themselves to ingratiate themselves to her – Darien felt pity for the freshmen and sophomores awkwardly trying to gain her attention and contempt for the juniors and seniors confidently flirting with her. _Idiots._ Trying to make Odango fall for them – as if that would ever happen. The naïve little blonde loved everyone, but she loved everyone the same – except him, of course, whom she detested.

"Idiots," he repeated from the sidelines. Coach Etoukou had been informed of Serena's escapade with stilettos, and had gruffly told Darien he could sit on the bench till the foot was healed. Which it already was, of course, due to his handy-dandy psychometry, but he had taken up the coach on his offer, not only because it would have seemed suspicious if he hadn't, but also because he didn't feel like being among those fawning losers. Even if he could kick their butts from here to the moon at archery.

Darien sighed, leaning back against the bleachers. "And I was in such a good mood this morning." Indeed, he had been, after that delightful dream about Sailor Moon. And because he had been dreaming about Sailor Moon, he hadn't dreamed about that greedy psycho princess who kept commanding him to find the Silver Crystal. God, had it been nice to sleep a whole night without having to put up with that drama queen. "I swear, she sounds like something straight out of a soap opera or some B-list anime show." (A/N: Gasp! How dare I! Teeheehee.)

Darien sighed and shifted again, watching Serena's blonde head bob up and down among the sea of brown and black heads of her admirers. He shouldn't have snarled at her like that before. He had no right…and maybe he was just deceiving himself and trying to make himself seem more important to her than he really was, but he thought he had detected a hint of hurt in her voice after he snapped at her.

Usually, he felt extremely comfortable around Odango – after all, he didn't tease complete strangers the way he did her – but after that conversation with Motoki and Asanuma, he had felt uneasy, nervous, as though she might find out, or already knew, what the boys had talked about. He had felt unsure of himself, and he didn't like that feeling.

But he didn't like Odango, right? No, of course not. So there was really no problem. Other than the fact that she was currently mad at him for being a complete jerk to her. But that could be easily fixed with an apology…if he could bring himself to give her one.

* * *

"So how was gym class?" asked Ami at lunchtime, lifting the top piece of bread from her sandwich and drizzling hand sanitizer over the slices of turkey inside. "Did the coach try to recruit you again?"

"Ah…no," answered Serena somewhat absently, watching Ami place the slice of rye bread back over the layer of hand sanitizer now coating her turkey sandwich. "Uh, Ami-chan, are you sure that's, um, safe? Putting hand sanitizer in your sandwich?"

Ami gave Serena a strange look. "Of course it is. Don't you know how many different kinds of bacteria thrive in dead flesh like turkey meat? It has to be sterilized!"

"Um…okay," answered Serena with a delicates shrug. Ami was training to become a doctor; she knew best, after all…

"Well, anyways," said Ami, swallowing a bite of her disinfected sandwich. "Are you alright, Serena? You seem rather dejected today."

Serena sighed and put her untouched fried shrimp back in her bento. "It's not really anything unusual," she replied to her friend. "Just Luna complaining about how incapable I am, and Darien Shields being a creep. Nothing new."

Ami patted her friend's hand. "I think you do a marvelous job as a Senshi. After all, you don't see me or Rei dusting youma by ourselves, do you? And we'll find the princess when the time is right." She sipped some water. "As for that Darien, well, have you ever thought, Serena, that maybe he might have a little crush on you? Many boys use teasing to communicate to a girl that they like her."

"DARIEN! LIKE _ME!_" Serena leapt to her feet. "You're insane, Ami-chan! That jerk doesn't _like_ me! And even if he did, who cares? Tuxedo Mask's the only guy for me!" She paused in her ranting to sigh dreamily. _Ah, Tuxedo Mask…so hot… _"Uh, what was I saying again? Oh, yeah – Darien doesn't like me. He doesn't like any girls – in fact, sometimes I wonder if he swings the other way – and even if he did, he wouldn't choose me. There's college girls after him, for goodness' sake!"

"Your reaction seems a bit violent, Serena, suggesting defensiveness on your part. I am forced to wonder if _you_ like Darien."

"ME! Like that JERK! AS IF! I DESPISE him!"

Ami nodded wisely to herself. "Just as I suspected. Hatred – or despising, as you put it – is a form of mild to severe obsession, often suggesting inverse emotions buried within the host towards the person they despise." She scribbled wildly in a notebook that had suddenly appeared in her lap. "This will be PERFECT for my Psychology project!"

Serena gaped. "Where'd you learn that junk about obsession?" she demanded. "Not from your Psychology book?"

Ami adjusted her glasses, face tinting a bit red. "Well, actually, I might have gotten it from one of Rei's romance manga – but that's not the point!"

But Serena wasn't paying attention anymore. "You mean Rei has romance manga? And she never showed them to me? Oooh! I'll KILL her!"

* * *

The bell rang for fifth period to start, and Ami scampered off to her beloved Psychology class. Serena sighed and gathered up her books, then began to trudge towards Study Hall – which she also had with Darien. Understandably, she was in no hurry to get there.

Now, there were a lot of things Serena didn't understand. The quadratic formula, for example, or the electronegative properties of elements. But those were things that didn't directly affect her. Darien's words had hurt, badly, and she couldn't understand why. Why should she _care_ what he thought or said?

The only answer available to her was that she shouldn't. That she didn't. She didn't care what he thought about her, the stubborn idiot.

"Serena!"

The small blonde sighed and turned, pasting a welcoming smile on her face. Making his way across the courtyard toward her was a boy from her gym class.

"Hi, Seiko," she chirped when he came within earshot. The eleventh-grader matched her pace as she began to walk once more towards her study hall classroom. "How can I help you?"

"Oh, I don't need anything," replied Seiko, pushing a couple brown curls back from his forehead. "Just figured you might want some company walking to class after Mizuno-san dashed off. Your study hall is next to my Trig class, did you know?"

"Really? I didn't," answered Serena in a bright voice, feigning interest. She didn't want to hurt his feelings; he was just trying to be nice. After all, he didn't know she was busy trying to ponder the mysteries of the universe and would have preferred not to have been disturbed. "Hey, before I forget, thanks for helping me out in gym today, Seiko-senpai." She giggled at herself. _Go figure that one of my best friends is a champion archer but I didn't even know you had to string a bow!_

"Always glad to lend a helping hand." Seiko grinned. "Hey, what's this I heard about you arriving at school on Darien Shields' back this morning? He your personal camel or something?"

"ARGH!" Serena clenched her fists. "Why does everyone keep harping on about that? I was trying to keep him from winning our race, that was all! It's not like everyone thinks – I do not and never will like Shields that way!"

"So you and him…?"

"There IS no me and him," replied Serena confidently, thrusting her chin in the air. "He's a total _creep_."

"Isn't he, though," muttered Seiko. Serena blinked. "Well, here's my class, see you later, Serena-chan!"

"Uh – yeah!" Serena forced a smile and entered her own classroom, head spinning. Why was everyone acting so weird lately? First Ami and Rei with their newly diagnosed mental conditions, and then Darien with his mean words, and now Seiko acting like he wanted to murder Darien…if things kept on like this, the moon princess would end up being Michael Jackson!

"Ew. Yuck." Serena shuddered, dropping her backpack beside her desk. _Just thinking that makes me want to hurl._ (A/N: Yeah, how do you think Darien feels? Ooh, speak of the devil…)

"Oy. Odango."

"Get lost, Shields." Serena spoke without turning around, keeping her eyes glued on her Geometry book. Miss Haruna had recommended that she be put in this class in the hopes that she would actually do some of her homework in it. But usually, Serena just used it to sleep – when she wasn't bickering with the Supreme Jerkwad of the Earth, that is."I've got work to do."

"Doing what, sawing logs?"

"You're an idiot, you know that, right?"

"Glad you took the time to notice."

"Well, it's pretty obvious." Serena sat down and picked up a pencil, still refusing to look at him. "Now, like I said, bug off. I'm busy. Go invent a new mathematic postulate or something."

"Odango…"

"What is so hard to understand about 'go** away**!'?" demanded Serena, hurling down her pencil and wrenching her chair around to glare venomously at him. "God, you're worse than all those boys in gym – just leave me _alone_, okay!" Her eyebrows flew up as she suddenly realized what she'd said – or moreover, what she's _implied_ – by comparing him to those boys in P.E., but she refused to let her glare waver from his calm eyes, even though she felt a slight blush creeping up on her cheeks. Darn Ami for confusing her with all that crazy psychological romance stuff!

"Geeze, don't have an aneurysm, Odango," Darien muttered under his breath – though she heard, anyways, and scowled even more darkly – raking a hand through his black hair. He dropped down into a crouch beside her desk, focusing his eyes on her Geometry book. "Um…"

"What?" Serena snapped, crossing her arms. She felt vaguely uncomfortable – he was too close to her. He needed to move away. "Spit it out."

"If you'd stop being such a hag about it, maybe I could!" Darien snapped back. He heaved a frustrated sigh, forcing his fists to unclench. "Look, I know I was being a jerk today in gym, okay? So – I wanted to say sorry, cause I didn't have any right to take my frustration out on you." He stood quickly. "There. I said it." With that, he walked away, to the back of the classroom, where he retreated behind his world history book and didn't emerge for the rest of the class.

* * *

A/N: Whew. wipes brow I gotta stop there. That was a long chapter for me. I pulled back a little on the comedy, because I think it was detracting from the storyline, and now I'm focusing more on some of the plot…the next few chapters should be quite interesting for you guys because the Senshi's rather peculiar behaviors will be explained, and some, uh, amusing Darien/Serena scenes are forthcoming. teeheehee

So…tell me what you think about Darien and Serena's characterization, and also what you think of Motoki and Asanuma. (**Real Sugar Baby**, how was my dialogue vs. action?) Seiko, too…

Okay, Meg-chan, I came up with a dare for you. This one's pretty tame; I can come up with a wilder one if you like laughs crazily, but you know the infamous R breakup? Write a fic, as long or as short as you want, where Serena has dreams that Darien will die if she stays too close to him, and so SHE breaks up with HIM, instead of the other way around. I'll give ya a month! Ready…set…go!


	6. Detention & Wedgie Breaks

You guys totally rock, you know that? All your awesome reviews… they kindle such warmth in my heart! Especially those from newer readers…thank you for giving me the strength to keep writing, mina-chan!

**Disclaimer:**

Six o'clock evening news anchor: (shuffles papers) "Breaking news! I have just been informed that EightofSwords does not own the rights to Sailor Moon!"

* * *

Subject to Change

* * *

"And to close today's afternoon announcements, students, I would like to remind you that the school's dress code prohibits any clothes other than tennis shoes or regulation loafers." The principal cleared his throat, and everyone in the classroom winced as the phlegmy sound issued from the intercom speaker. "Students, shoes are not weapons, and any pupil found using them as such will be severely punished."

Serena sank low into her seat as every head in the classroom swiveled around to look at her.

"Molly, make them stop staring at me," she pleaded to the girl sitting in the desk beside her.

"You deserve it, Serena," said Molly sternly, fiddling with her hair ribbon impatiently as the principal's voice droned on and on. "That poor Shields-san…"

"Aren't you supposed to feel sorry for me?' Serena demanded plaintively. "_I'm _the one who's your best friend!"

"Yeah, but he's the one with a hole in his foot," countered Molly teasingly. She patted Serena's shoulder. "Aw, chin up, Serena. Detention'll be over before you know it."

"Ugh. Don't even REMIND me." Serena wrinkled her nose. "An hour and a half with that jerk…"

"Dream come true, right?" Molly elbowed the blonde with a smirk.

"What is everyone's sudden obsession with the idea that I have a crush on Darien?" Serena demanded. "I do NOT like him."

"Then why do you always talk about him?" Molly balled her hands into fists and placed them on top of her head, mimicking Serena's buns. "_Darien this, Darien that!_" she squeaked out in a mockery of Serena's "Darien-ranting." "_Ooh, sometimes I just want to kiss – I mean, kill him!_"

"MOLLY!"

* * *

It shouldn't have been a surprise to Darien when Asanuma and Motoki plopped themselves down next to him during the afternoon announcements. After all, who could pass up a chance to tease the school's "Golden Boy" about getting detention?

"So, Darien, I heard an interesting piece of gossip," began Asanuma. "Seiko walked Serena to class today, eh?" He punched the black-haired student in the shoulder. "What are you doing, man? Letting him snatch up your girl like that!"

"It's outrageous," added Motoki, propping his feet up on top of the desk. "We're extremely disappointed in you, Darien."

"Would you two shut up for once?" said Darien sourly. "Believe me, you've caused enough trouble for one day."

"Whoah, what's with the long face?" Motoki dropped his feet to the floor, leaning forward. His arcade-psychologist persona was taking over. "What happened, Dare? Did you fail that History quiz or something?"

Darien shook his head. "It's nothing. Forget it."

"Ah ah ah." Motoki shook his finger at Darien. "I recognize that look on your face. That's an Usa-chan look – spill, what'd you do to my imouto?"

"I didn't do anything to her!" Darien exclaimed in a confused, reluctant sort of way, shoving his hair back from his forehead with a hand. "I mean – don't look at me like that, Asanuma – I kinda snapped at her during gym – "

"It's true, he did," interrupted Asanuma, speaking to Motoki. "I remember, she went over to talk to him, and he said something to her, and they didn't talk for the rest of the class." He frowned. "It was weird. Class was really quiet – I mean, usually you can hear one of them screaming their heads off at the other one all throughout the class, but today, there were just a bunch of guys flocking around Serena-chan." He smiled slyly. "Seiko, especially. Ooh, man, Dare, you've got competition, big time!"

"NO, I DON'T!"

Motoki cut off Darien's vehement denial with a glare. "Wha'd you say to her at P.E., then, Darien?" His voice was threatening. Even knowing that Motoki was only protecting the girl who thought of him as an older bother, Darien felt slightly hurt and slightly resentful.

"I – I didn't, much. I mean, I was already in a bad mood, and she said something that really rubbed me the wrong way –"

"Why were you in such a bad mood?"

_Well, our conversation in Physics class kind of reminded me of the fact that I'll probably never even find out Sailor Moon's real identity, much less how to win her heart_, Darien imagined himself telling them. Motoki and Asanuma would probably faint – or worse, announce to the whole class that he was obsessed with Tokyo's resident super heroine beauty. As if he wasn't considered a geek enough already. (A/N: Oh, please.) So instead, he said, "Pop quiz in English."

"Ouch." Asanuma and Motoki both winced. "Point taken."

"Yeah. So anyway, I kinda snapped at the Odango, which, as you can imagine, didn't go over too well with her. I felt really bad about it, so during Study Hall, I apologized to her for being such a jerk."

"Wow, he actually admitted to it! Serena-chan really must hold some sort of power over him."

Darien scowled at Asanuma, and was just opening his mouth to retort, when the bell rang.

"FREE!" Asanuma sang out, leaping out of his chair and bulleting out of the classroom. "See ya!"

"I've gotta get to work," Motoki added, dashing off with a smug smirk. "Enjoy detention!"

"Some friends I've got," Darien mumbled, hefting his book bag and trudging off towards the detention classroom.

* * *

Detention Hall – a place of noisiness and revelry, body piercings and leather jackets. The room's main occupants were the dregs of the school, who whiled away their afternoons in the cramped classroom, comparing switchblades and giving each other tattoos. They talked as loudly as they wanted to, for no teacher could scare them into silence.

But silence reigned when Darien Shields entered the classroom and came to a halt in front of Serena Tuskino and the empty desk beside her. Every lackadaisical student watched with bated breath to see what the Odango would do now that her turf had been invaded by her arch-nemesis.

"Odango."

"Shields."

The two enemies glared at each other at each other as Darien slid into the desk next to Serena's. _Go figure that the only desk open is the one next to Serena,_ Darien thought uncharitably. _Since when was detention hall so crowded?_

Serena pulled out a manga and resolutely buried her nose in it; Darien fished out his graphing calculator and began his Trig homework, just as determined to ignore Serena's presence as she was to ignore his.

"CLASS!" A bellow sounded from the doorway. Both Serena and Darien whipped around at the sound of the terribly familiar voice…

"It's Coach!" they simultaneously exclaimed in horrified whispers. They spun to face each other – "Jinx!" – then spun back to gape at Coach Etoukou, who was lumbering into the classroom, which had fallen silent.

"Okay, I'm in charge of you young hooligans today, so everyone pick up a pair of barbells and – " His eyes, which had been roving around the room, stopped abruptly on Serena. She squeaked, and clutched Darien's sleeve. "Tsukino? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at Discus tryouts?"

"I – uh – well, I have detention," Serena stammered.

"Obviously," Darien muttered.

"Shut up, jerk!" Serena stuck her tongue out at him.

"WHAT?" exclaimed the coach. "Miss Tsukino, how dare you talk to me like that – "

"No! No, I wasn't talking to you, Coach!" Serena protested hastily. "It was Darien, see – " She hauled the junior into the Coach's line of vision.

"Oh, so Shields is here, too, huh? I should've known. The lovebirds never go anywhere without each other."

"That's not true!" exclaimed Serena with a scowl.

"Actually," spoke up a little freshman from the corner. "It kinda is. Gym class, study hall, lunch, the arcade – "

"Shut up, pipsqueak!" Serena and Darien spun on the scrawny kid, who dove beneath his desk.

"HEY! I'm the one in control here! Only **I** get to terrorize the freshies." Coach tapped his whistle threateningly. "Now, get back to work, the lot of you!" His eyes narrowed beneath his bushy eyebrows; he brandished a baseball bat. "Shields, Tsukino, if I hear so much as one suction noise from the two of you, so help me, I'll have the two of you running the track till you've worn holes in your feet." (A/N: Suction noises, Giri-chan, suction noises!)

"It's a bit late for that," commented Darien, scowling at Serena.

"Shields – "

"We get it, we get it," Serena interrupted, clapping her hand over Darien's mouth. "We promise to be as quiet as church mice who have had their tongues cut out."

"Guess that rules out French kissing," noted Darien, peeling Serena's hand away from his mouth.

Serena's face turned the color for a tomato. "You – you – " she sputtered, spinning around and jumping up and down in an attempt to reach Darien's throat so she could choke the life out of him. "You HENTAI!"

"Enough!" Coach barked. Serena froze and sullenly turned back around, fingers still twitching bloodthirstily. "Tsukino, tell me, have you given any consideration to the Track Team? I saw you running to school this morning, and let me tell you, with the right coach, you could be the next Maniac Magee!"

Serena sweat-dropped. "I'll pass, Coach."

"Why?" Coach Etoukou demanded.

"Um…" Serena scrambled around for an excuse. "Because…Track team members have to wear really short shorts!" she blurted out.

"It's not that bad," insisted the coach. "You get used to it, and I give you wedgie breaks every half hour."

"Wedgie breaks!" Serena's eyes bulged. "No WAY! I am NOT joining a club with wedgie breaks!"

Coach burst into tears. "Why must you be so cruel, Tsukino? What did I ever do to you?" He continued sobbing as Serena sank guiltily down in her seat. She didn't have the time for any extracurriculars…but who was she to impede the Coach's lifelong dream? He needed her to achieve his goal, she shouldn't just turn him away…

"Wipe that look off your face, Odango Atama." She looked up to see Darien glaring at her. "I know what you're thinking. Don't let him bully you into doing something you don't want to do, no matter how sorry you feel for him."

"But…"

"No."

Serena smiled internally. _Can't let the jerk know he made me feel better. _"Who are you to boss me around anyway, jerk?" she demanded. "Maybe I want to join the track team!"

Darien just smirked at her. "One word: wedgie breaks."

"Ooh…." Serena scowled and retrieved her manga, sticking her nose back into it again. _Someday, Shields…_

"Hey, Odango Atama," said Darien a few minutes later. "Can I borrow a pen?"

"Yeah," Serena said sulkily, tossing him her pencil bag and returning to her manga, drooling slightly. _Hatori's so hot… _(A/N: Furuba!)

"Good God, Odango, your pen is making me nauseous," she heard Darien mutter beside her. "It's so…_pink_." (A/N: You better hope your daughter's not reading this, Darien!)

Serena blinked, frowning. _I don't have any pink pens…do I?_ Her eyes landed on the writing utensil in Darien's hand. "OH MY GOD!" Serena shrieked, lunging at Darien. _My LUNA PEN! Luna's gonna KILL me! _"Gimme that, Shields!"

"Whoah, whoah, calm down, Odango." Darien stood, holding the pen high out of her reach. She jumped up and down, trying to snatch it out of his grasp. _What if it accidentally transforms him? In front of the whole class…everyone'll find out who I am…Luna is SO going to kill me…_ A whimper escaped her lips as she pictured the various injuries her cat's claws were capable of inflicting."It's just a pen!"

"So shut up and give it to me!" Serena growled, scrambling on top of the desk so that she could reach her precious pen. Darien laughed and ducked away from her hand. "SHIELDS!"

"WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE?" Cleats clicked across the linoleum towards the deathly pale Serena.

Serena gulped and looked down at the jelly-bellied coach now standing with his fists on his hips beside her desk. "Darien stole my pen, Coach!"

"That's it! This flirting has got to stop!" Coach tugged at his meager fringe of hair. "I can't HANDLE the two of you anymore! You're messing with my digestion!" He let out a watery belch. "You hear that? I can't even burp properly anymore!"

"Um…sorry?" Serena ventured.

"No, sorry doesn't cut it!" Coach stomped his foot. "You're going to be punished! For the rest of the week, you're going to report to that art teacher lady. She asked me to find her some models…it scores me some points with her, and gets you out of my hair. SCORE!" He pumped a brawny fist in the air and burped.

"That would be great, if he had any hair," commented Darien into Serena's ear. She giggled, then scowled, remembering whose humor she was laughing at.

"Now go sit down again," ordered Coach. "And for God's sake, Shields, give Tsukino back her pen."

* * *

"So…models for the art teacher, huh?" Motoki regarded his friends from the other side of the counter, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "That's interesting."

"Uh-huh," answered Serena, taking a slurp of her milkshake. "Do you know anything about her, Motoki-onii-san?"

Motoki smiled enigmatically. "I've heard things about her. Supposedly, she's quite obsessive. Believes in aliens from the moon and stuff like that."

"Really?" Serena's curiosity was piqued. _Could she be the princess? _"Is she nice?"

Motoki shrugged, though the grin still played about his lips. "She's weird. That's all I know. Asanuma took a couple of classes with her, though; you could ask him."

"No!" Darien glared at Motoki, slamming his fists on the counter and causing his Moutain Dew to tip over and spill. "The Odango Atama isn't going anywhere near Asanuma."

"Why not?" demanded Serena, simultaneously bewildered and incensed by Darien's violent reaction. "And stop calling me that, Shields!"

"Yeah, why not, Darien?" Motoki joined in. "Aren't you being a little possessive?" He arched an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're jealous."

"What? No!" Darien grabbed a handful of napkins and began to mop up the puddle of green soda, muttering murderously under his breath about backstabbing best friends and stupid dumpling heads.

"Hahaha," laughed Serena nervously. "You're so funny, Motoki-onii-san. As if the jerkwad would ever get a crush on_ me_."

"Stranger things have happened."

"Oh, yeah?' Darien looked up from his counter-scrubbing. "Like what?"

"Uh, well…" Motoki thought for a moment, then rubbed his neck and laughed. "Nothing comes to mind at the moment…but I'm sure there's something…"

Motoki fell into deep thought. Serena and Darien exchanged glances.

"He's hopeless."

"You're telling me."

Absently, Serena finished her milkshake and fished in her pocket for some money. She put it on the counter beside her empty glass and noticed Darien doing the same thing beside her. He, too, looked lost deep in thought as they walked out of the arcade into the darkening street.

_How does this keep happening?_ Serena wondered. _Walking side-by-side like this…detention together…talking to Motoki together…it's like he's one of my friends – but he's not._ She shook her head, clearing the thoughts from her mind. "This is my street."

"Hmm?" Darien blinked looked down at her. "Oh. Uh…see you tomorrow, I guess…"

"Yeah. Tomorrow." Serena began to walk, but a hand on her sleeve caught her. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw Darien, eyes fixed determinedly on the sky. She shook away the strange nostalgia that swept over her and gathered her thoughts. This was Darien. Darien, the upperclassman, who loved to tease her. "What is it, jerkwad?"

"Odango – you – do you – " He stumbled over the words. "Gym this morning…I really am sorry…do you forgive me?"

Serena smiled. It was a sincere expression. "I already did, jerkwad."

"Oh." Darien raked a hand through his hair, gaze falling from the emerging stars to her. "So…back to normal, right?"

"Right." Serena nodded. "Back to normal."

* * *

"Zoicite?"

"My queen, the plan is almost finished. I am planning to send out a youma to test the waters."

"Make sure it is not a waste. I'm sick of spending youmas without getting results."

"One did get results," Zoicite reminded her queen. "And is still reaping us benefits now."

"Yes, one out of fifty." The queen snorted. "Never mind that. Just make sure your plan works, Zoicite. Have you found the masked man's weakness?"

"He seems to have several, Your Majesty." Zoicite smiled. "The Silver Crystal and Sailor Moon have both evoked quite a reaction from him in the past."

"This Sailor Moon, Zoicite…" The Queen tapped her long, curling fingernails. "My memories of the Silver Millennium are vague, but I can't remember a being such as her being one of the Princess' Senshi. I want you to keep an especially close eyes on her, see if you can find out any more information about her."

"Yes, my queen." Zoicite bowed. "Do you have any theories as to her identity?"

"Several. The Lunarian Queen may well have reincarnated herself into this time, and is searching for her daughter in that form. Sailor Moon could also be one of the Senshi from outside this solar system, sent to help this system's Senshi find the Moon Princess…the Princess' survival is crucial to the Higher Senshi, as you well know from the prophecy, Zoicite."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

"Another possibility is that Sailor Moon is one of the Moon Princess' younger sisters – I can't recall any such siblings, but those cursed Lunarians were always close-mouthed and stingy with their information. There could very well have been a whole brood of the Moon brats up in that palace, all huddled up like rabbits." Beryl spat, as though the thought of those creatures put a bad taste in her mouth.

"My queen…is it possible that perhaps Sailor Moon _is_ the Moon Princess?"

Shrieks of laughter rang out in response to Zoicite's question, echoing through the cold stone caverns.

"Ah, Zoicite," gasped Beryl, wiping tears of malicious mirth from her eyes. "The one thing I am sure of is that that Moon brat is not the Moon princess. Despite the numerous holes in my memory, I do remember the tales of the Princess's legendary grace and serenity. As you have seen many times, Sailor Moon is anything but graceful or serene."

"She is quite the…_klutz_, if you'll forgive me for using the human term, Majesty."

"Indeed. It is impossible for Sailor Moon to be the Moon Princess. Not only because of her clumsiness, but if she _was_ the Moon Princess, her Senshi would never allow her to wage battle. They were always too concerned that she might get _hurt_, or _dirty_ her _pretty face_…" Beryl sneered into her crystal ball, lip curling. She waved a hand abruptly. "Be gone, Zoicite. You have my permission to set your plan into motion."

* * *

A/N: There you have it. Chapter Six. Again, not much humor, please forgive me. I've got a fever again, so I'm kind of out of it, but I wanted to get another chapter out. Um…I'm kind of worried about my Darien and Serena characterizations…do they seem OoC to you? Please tell me in your reviews. 


	7. Is This a Tabloid Interview!

A/N: I'm sorry to say, you guys, that there is pretty much no humor in this chapter. (I think.) And it's pretty short, too – but that's okay, because I'm going to have a new chapter out, pronto!

Giri-chan and Nan-chan – you guys aren't allowed to read this. Log off the Internet and go work on your Romeo/Juliet projects – YEAH, RIGHT! How can I ask you guys to do that when I haven't even started? Hope you're having a rocking spring break!

Disclaimer: Don't own it, so I'll clone it!

* * *

Subject to Change

* * *

**Beep. Beep.**

"Not again!" Serena groaned, kneeling in the middle of the sidewalk to root vicious around in her schoolbag for her communicator. She found the cursed pink object and brought it to her mouth. _That youma-detector of Ami's is ingenious, but I can't help but wish that she'd never invented it._ "Where is it, Ami?"

"Somewhere on Fifth Avenue, near the Arcade," came Ami's voice, barely audible over the crackle of static. Or at least, Serena thought it was static – but Ami apparently thought otherwise. 'Rei! How many times has Luna told you not to set fires while we're on the communicator? It makes it hard to hear!"

"Blah, blah, blah, blah," came Rei's voice. "Fine." The crackle stopped abruptly, followed by a hiss.

"What were you burning, Pyro?' asked Serena in mild amusement. "Chad?"

As if on cue, a shocked howl erupted from the communicator's speaker. Serena blinked. _I was joking…_ "Rei, you didn't!"

"I did," answered Rei's voice smugly.

"Um, hello? Youma. On Fifth Avenue. NOW!" Ami bellowed.

"Oh, yeah. Got it. " Serena switched off the communicator and stood up. "Moon Prism POWER!"

* * *

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," whispered Sailor Moon in a sing-song voice, tiptoeing around the corner – ironically, the self-same one she'd _tried_ to ambush Darien at a couple of days ago. She winced at the memory. Hopefully this encounter would turn out more successfully than that one had. "Where are you, little youma?"

Her question was answered when the streetlamps suddenly flickered to life and glinted on hundreds of shards of glass lying in the middle of the sidewalk in front of the shattered window of a…

"Jewelry shop?" murmured Sailor Moon. Her eyes narrowed behind her goggles (A/N: Yes, in my version, when Sailor Moon transforms, she has a mask like in Tuxedo Mask's, but girlier. That's how they did it in the manga, for any of you neophytes out there. No offense to anyone – neophytes rock; I'm a Chrono Crusade neophyte. But, um, back to the story.) as she put two and two together. The youma Mercury had detected was apparently not sucking anyone's energy, and it was in a jewelry store, which could only mean –

"They've found the Silver Crystal! No way! I've got to get it first!"

Adrenaline exploded in Sailor Moon's veins; she launched herself through the shattered store window with a yell – which was, perhaps, not the most tactical move she could have made.

She landed on her stomach on the floor, wincing as various shards of glass bit into her skin, and scrambled to her feet to face the hulking youma. Shelled and tentacled, it was currently rooting around in the various glass cases.

"Hey! You!" she shouted, falling into her usual stance. "Jewelry stores are for handsome guys looking for presents for their girlfriends, not ugly sushi bar rejects like you! Step away from the merchandise so that I, Sailor Moon, Champion of Love and Justice, can punish you!"

The youma turned around slowly, with the whiskers around its mouth quivering.

"No one will stop me from finding the Silver Crystal – especially not you, Moon Brat!" The youma wiggled its body closer to her, inch by inch, and opened a pair of its many arms. Sailor Moon backed away, grimacing. She needed the Senshi to weaken the youma before she used her tiara – _where are you, guys?_

"Are we too late for the stir-fry?" Sailor Moon spun at the familiar sardonic voice, face breaking into a wide grin. Mercury and Mars sailed through the window and landed on either side of their leader. "MARS FIREBALL!"

"OW! OW!" Steam expelled from between the youma's shell plates with a hissing sound. "Ooh, you'll pay for that!"

"Mercury?" Sailor Moon spun towards her friend. Her hand was at her forehead, already pulling off her tiara. "Where do I aim? Where do I aim?"

"Huh?" Sailor Mercury looked up from her mini-comp with a blank expression. "What'd you say?"

"I SAID, where do I am my tiara? Where the youma's weak spot!" Sailor Moons stomped a foot frantically, watching the youma totter back to its feet. "What does your computer say!"

"Oh, it's not saying anything right now. I'm running a quick virus check on it."

"Mercuryyyyyyy! What about the youma?"

Mercury speared Moon with an indignant blue stare. "Which is more important, the youma or my computer's well-being?" she demanded.

"How about this? I burn your computer, and then we won't have to worry about it getting viruses!" suggested Mars eagerly. She clasped her hands. "MARS…FIRE – "

"STAY AWAY FROM MY PC, PYRO!" Mercury shrieked, hugging the piece of technology to her chest and jumping out of Mars' range of fire. (A/N: No pun intended.)

"But what about the _youma_?" Sailor Moon whined as the two began to scream at each other. "I guess I just have to hope I get a lucky shot – between the shells would be his unprotected spot, wouldn't it?" she muttered to herself as she removed her tiara and took careful aim. "Moon…Tiara… argck!"

"Well, hello there, Moon Brat," greeted the voice of the owner of the arms that were currently locked around Sailor Moon's neck. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Zoi…cite!" choked out Sailor Moon, twisting frantically in her captor's arms. "Let…GO!"

"No can do, I'm afraid," replied Zoicite with one of her high-pitched laughs. "You see, I've got orders to find out a bit about you, Sailor Moon…so how 'bout you cooperate with me?" Sailor Moon felt something cold press against her throat, then a sharp twinge as it sliced into her skin, causing her to jump in Zoicite's grip. "Unless you'd like to become better acquainted with my dagger, that is."

"Shoot," gasped out Sailor Moon, eyes following the path of her Senshi as they chased each other through the jewelry store, oblivious to her predicament or the presence of Zoicite. _Hello! I'm about to DIE over here!_

"What? Not even putting up a fight?" Surprised tinged Zoicite's voice. "Well – damn. I was hoping to shed a little more blood. Oh well. Hmm. So many questions, so little time. What to ask first? Oh, I know." She loosened her grip slightly on Sailor Moon's neck so that she could answer. "Where's the Silver Crystal?"

"We…don't know…" panted Sailor Moon, gulping down the sweet, fresh air. _Never thought I'd hear myself calling Tokyo air "sweet" or "fresh."_ "Maybe…with the…princess." _Who might be the art teacher, must remember to tell girls – if I get out of this alive!_

"Where's the princess, then?"

"If we knew that, we would have kicked your butts from here to Pluto with the Silver Crystal by now," bit out Sailor Moon. "Duh."

Zoicite let the girl fall from her arms and backhanded her across the face, sending her sprawling on the pristine carpet. "Save that tongue of yours for the Cape Boy, Moon Brat. I won't tolerate it." She placed a booted foot on Sailor Moon's trembling back to pin her in place. "Now – speaking of Tuxedo Mask, what's your relationship with him?"

"What is this, some tabloid interview?" Sailor Moon spat out a mouthful of blood from Zoicite's slap.

"Just some friendly questions…but since you don't seem willing to talk about your little boyfriend – what's your connection to Queen Serenity?"

"Who's she?" was Sailor Moon's reply as she struggled to wriggle out from under Zoicite's foot. She hissed as the general dug the boot deeper into her back.

"Stop lying, brat," the general snarled. "You know who Queen Serenity is!"

"I don't!" gasped Sailor Moon. "Let me…go!"

"Not yet." Zoicite smirked slightly, the raised her voice. "Come on out, Lover Boy! Come on, I've got your pretty girlfriend here, and I'm ready to snap her weak little spine like chopsticks if you don't show yourself in the next five seconds. Five…four…three…"

Sailor Moon's eyes widened, she bucked violently under Zoicite's foot, ignoring the stabs of pain that shot through her body and blinking back tears.

"Two…"

She couldn't let Tuxedo Mask get hurt! _Gotta get…free…_

"ONE!"

* * *

A/N: Ooh, what's this? Could it be? A Daniel Radcliffe-hanger? (Teeheeheehee.) Will Tuxedo Mask show up? Will Sailor Moon get free? Does Sailor Mercury's computer have a virus? Find out all this, and more, in the next chapter of STC!

Since this is such a short chapter, I don't really expect any reviews from you guys. Spend your time on more worthwhile things, like reading my one-shot _To Risk the Thorns_ or my new mini-series _Are You Sure They're Not Drunk?_ (If you like this series, I promise you'll like that one.)

Domo arigatou for reading, mina-chan!


	8. This Day's Down the Toilet

A/N: A new chapter. I know what you guys are thinking, because I'm thinking it, too – FINALLY! I'm really sorry. I had a whole tsunami of schoolwork crash down on top of me as soon as we got back from Spring Break. Here's a new chap – not very good, cause it's hurried, but more will be forthcoming.

Disclaimer: If you think I own Sailor Moon, you must be smoking something.

* * *

Subject to Change

* * *

"ONE!"

From the very corner of her eye, Sailor Moon caught a glimpse of a crystal sword materializing in Zoicite's hand.

"_No_!" the blonde choked out as from the corner of her other eye, she saw a flicker of black and red – Tuxedo Mask, still unaware of the huge shard of lethal crystal Zoicite was wielding behind her back. He was lunging towards his death –

Sailor Moon did the only thing she could. She screamed, tearing her throat raw with a shriek issued from lungs that were being crushed beneath the general's grinding boot.

The effect was instantaneous. The glass in the store that had not already been shattered cracked and sprayed outwards in a rain of jagged pieces. Zoicite clutched her ears – dropping her sword – and staggered backwards, off Sailor Moon's bruised back.

A black cane appeared in Tuxedo Mask's hands, seemingly conjured from thin air, and something glinted at its end that Sailor Moon had never seen before: a blade.

The silver edge sliced across Zoicite's chest, scrawling an angry red line across her drab grey uniform. The general shrieked in fury, eyes flashing venom, then disappeared in a storm of cherry blossoms.

Sailor Moon eased her arched, trembling body back to the glass-strewn carpet. She didn't even have the energy to moan. _Thank God he's okay. _Her eyes sought out Tuxedo Mask's and found them to be unexpectedly stormy behind his mask. His fists were clenched, and the blade protruding from his cane – which had to be at least as long as her arm – glinted red in the dim green glow of the security light.

He looked angry. Unbearably angry. Murderously angry.

Her stomach knotted. But before she could even begin to untangle the mess of emotions, Tuxedo Mask had pivoted on his heel and stalked out of the jewelry store.

It was not until he had vanished completely from sight that Sailor realized that the security alarm was wailing deafeningly. She looked around and saw Mercury and Mars slumped unconscious in the corner. _Where's the youma!_ She scrambled to her feet, wincing at the pull of sorely abused muscles, and spun around in an attempt to find the shelled creature.

Her eyes landed on the dark hulking shadow sprawled across a ransacked display case and focused on the solitary red rose embedded in the demon's quickly moldering flesh.

* * *

"My Queen." Zoicite staggered forward. Blood oozed freely from the slash on her chest, but she seemed not to notice it; her lips were curled into an empty smile. "He has weaknesses, my queen. Several, of them. And they are all in conflict with one another."

"When you were interrogating Sailor Moon – what happened?" The shadowy monarch leaned forward intently in her throne.

Zoicite's smile grew wider. Her eyes were empty, deadening; it was as though with each additional drop of blood that left her veins, more of her spirit was sapped away. Her Queen noticed this and smiled, filing the observation away in favor of the more important news.

"He hesitated."

* * *

He ran. He ran as fast as his legs would bear him, muscles coiling and stretching and pumping, across roofs and treetops, trying to escape those wet blue eyes. The blue eyes that had stared at him so trustingly, never suspecting what he had done…or rather, what he hadn't done.

He slowed to a stop, breathing raggedly. He could run, but he would never escape the guilt.

_"Where's the Silver Crystal?"_

He had heard that question and frozen, stopped dead in his tracks and strained his ears to hear Sailor Moon's reply. Pushed aside the nagging voice in his mind that reminded him Sailor Moon was being crushed under Zoicite's doubtlessly considerable weight (A/N: Can you picture an obese Zoicite?), ignoring the fact that she was hurting in order to hear any tidbit about the jewel he so coveted.

_"Where's the princess, then?" _

She had been slapped after that, so hard that she bled, and still he had remained still. He had placed the value finding out about some dream princess above the value of Sailor Moon's life. But that wasn't the worst of it.

_"Tuxedo Mask, what's your relationship with him?"_

This, this question had been the Medusa that immobilized him. Eagerness had swept over him, hunger, a desire to know if she loved him the way he loved her – oh, yes, he thought he loved her, he had certainly shown how much he loved her when he sat by while she spat out blood and writhed in pain beneath Zoicite's boot. Love her, indeed. How had he ever even thought he was capable of love? Much less had the presumption to believe that she could love him back!

She had trusted him.

She _still_ trusted him.

She didn't know that he had waited.

* * *

_Beep. Beep._

Serena sighed and glanced searchingly around the locker room before ducking into the bathroom stall. She pressed down on the blinking communicator button. "What is it, Rei? Not a battle?" She felt her stomach sinking.

"No, just reminding you that we have a Scout meeting after school. Don't be late this time, 'kay?"

"Rei, I have detention – "

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Me and Ami'll wait for you at the arcade. Can you handle being there by five?"

"I'm not a four-year-old, Rei."

"You act like one," Rei shot back. Then she paused and cackled gleefully. "Hey, I gotta go. We're experimenting with flammable substances in Chemistry today."

Serena rolled her eyes as she switched off the communicator and twisted awkwardly in the cramped stall to replace it in her bag. She accidentally banged her hand on the toilet paper holder and dropped the communicator – _splash._

Serena groaned, staring at the pink gizmo floating in the middle of the toilet bowl. "This is _not_ happening to me." She pinched herself, took a second look in the toilet. "Argh! I _hate_ my life!"

Three curse words, four wads of toilet paper, and one dripping wet communicator later, Serena trudged stiffly out of the locker room towards her number. First she was late for school – _again_ – she didn't get to eat breakfast, she forgot her lunch _and _her homework, she had detention with the jerkwad, Tuxedo Mask was angry with her for only God-knows-what-reason, her back felt like a sumo wrestler had decided to use it for a door mat, and she had just been forced to fish around in a_ toilet_. Oh, and don't forget that pop quiz in English – did anyone really _care_ what Walt Whitman's sexual preference was?

"Hey, Serena."

She rolled one bleary eye towards the boy that had materialized at her elbow. _He really has a knack for showing up at the worst times._ "Hi, Seiko."

"You look kinda tired."

_Yeah, and I'm kinda crabby, so why don't you back off before I use my pigtails as a noose?_

But she just said, "Yeah."

"Shields is, too," commented Seiko. She felt him watching her carefully. "Isn't it a coincidence that you two show up looking like zombies on the same day?"

Serena sighed. She didn't have the energy to deal with this right now. "Isn't it a coincidence that you're always talking to me about Darien? The way you go on about him, one might start to think you have a crush on him."

"Who has a crush on me?"

A slightly smirking Serena glanced away from Seiko's slack-jawed face to find that they had arrived at her number and were standing next to the jerkwad. He did indeed look haggard, messy hair and dark circles daubing the skin beneath his eyes.

"No one when you look like that," Serena answered his question in a somewhat strangled voice. Darien Shields, school cover boy, looking like he'd just dragged himself out a war zone? "What _happened_ to you?"

"_Nothing_, Odango," he bit out.

Serena scowled. After that whole wonderful apology he'd given her for snapping at her _yesterday,_ now he was doing it all over again? That _jerk_!

"Nothing, my foot," she snarled. "But you know what, I don't care. Be an idiot. Seiko, do you know what we're doing in gym today?"

"Relays," replied Seiko with a gulp, taking a step backward from Serena's flashing eyes and Darien's stormy glare. "W-would you be on my team, Serena-chan?"

"Definitely." Serena flashed a smile at him. "Thanks."

"Y-y-you're welcome to be on it, too, if you want, Darien," stuttered Seiko.

"No, no, he's not!" Serena exclaimed, eyebrows knitting threateningly.

"That's okay, Seiko," Darien interrupted, narrowed eyes fixed on Serena. "Serena might get distracted if she was on the same team as me, and I wouldn't want to slow her down."

"Distracted?" Serena asked puzzledly in spite of herself. "What do you mean, distracted – OH! Oh, you WISH you could distract me, Shields! I'd check out a – a – a _llama_ before I'd check you out!"

"Too bad no self-respecting llama would take a second glance at you," Darien retorted.

"Excuse me, but I think Serena looks hot," Seiko injected into the conversation. He grabbed Serena's hand, and she forced a grateful smile for him, feeling somewhat deflated.

"You need glasses, then," said Darien harshly.

"BOYS! Could we stop fighting over Miss Tsukino and get on our numbers?" Coach Etoukou's voice boomed out across the field.

Seiko dropped Serena's hand. "See you in a few minutes for relay," he told her and jogged off.

"Shields, Tsukino! Remember that you've got detention with Miss Lanai today!" Coach ambled over with his clipboard. "She's over in Room 342."

"Coach," began Serena desperately, "Please, don't make me go to detention with him – I'll do anything, I swear, I won't talk or read manga or be late to class ever again!"

"Whoah." Coach looked at Darien. "You musta really doen something bad to get her for her to sacrifice her manga to get away from you. What did you do, forget the anniversary?"

"We DON'T have an ANNIVERSARYYYYYY!" wailed Serena, collapsing to the sidewalk and kneading her eyes with the heels of her hands. "I _HATE_ him!"

Coach chewed on the ends of his mustache thoughtfully for a moment. "You know, as much as you two get under mu skin, I really think you make an adorable couple. I'd hate to see you end up like Brad and Jen. So I think it's best if I make you go to Miss Lanai anyways. She's very good at dealing with teen soap operas like this."

"But – but – "

"And just so you can start working things out now, why don't you two be on a relay team together? You can be on a team with Asanuma."

L

* * *

A/N: Not much humor, sorry. I have a couple of thank-you's that I typed – oh, about three weeks ago? Not everyone's here, gomen…thanks for being so patient, mina-san!

**Nan-chan**: A new one! I'll need your help w/the next chapter on Monday…

**Tropical Remix**: That is, like, the coolest penname ever. It makes me think of that new Sprite…man, now I'm hungry again…time for another Reese's.

**Sailormoonhannah**: I wish it would be made into a real anime/manga! I would be so RICH! Thanks you so much for your wonderful review, it really made me glow.

**Sumiko Kenchi Haimoto**: Wow, that makes me really happy. I love when people say that my story makes them laugh, cause I'm usually not a funny person at all, but this story is really wild, and it gives me the confidence to write more. I totally feel what you're saying about reading when you were supposed to be writing a paper – I do that ALL the time. Essays suck, fanfic rocks! Down with nonfictional writing!

**Selphie108**: Yeah, isn't Ami insane? I really have fun w/her, tho not as much as w/Sere and Dare. I'm glad you liked the guys; it's really REALLY fun to write their conversations.

**Ffgirlmoonie**: I shall. Thank heavens for Spring Break. (ManiacMagee really was quite a good book, tho I can hardly remember it. I think it's been about five years since I last read it.)

**oOtHeReSeOo**: My spellcheck does NOT like your name. ; ) But that's okay, b/c I DO. I'll have to check out that story of yours.

**Revolutionnaire Rouge**: Oh my geez! I'm smoking ambrosia, of course, Giri-chan! Teeheeheeheehee. No, not really. I smoke aerosolized Mountain Dew. (Picture me saying that w/a straight face.) The 'Numa/Toki/Dare triangle rocks. They're so crazy. I can't wait to write more of them. Imagine THEM getting ahold of the magazine we talked about…ah, priceless. You better be having an awesome vacation, Giri-chan. Lots of drooling over Chrono and Shigure and stuff. Hanyaaaaaan!

LONG LIVE SUCTION NOISES!

**Makura Koneko**: You're a sly one, you are! I totally freaked out when I read that you'd heard that simile before, and then I was like, "Oooohhh." Thank you SO MUCH for what you said about my fic being a "gem…" It's so sweet!

Here's a challenge for you to write; I was going to do it, but let's see how you fare…

A youma shows up at some location Serena and Darien are at (they can bump into each other by accident or be there together for some reason), and it's looking for a girl with Sailor Moon's brooch. Serena gives the brooch to Darien for safekeeping…what will happen? Tell me if you want something different, and if not, then tell me in one of your reviews when it's finished so I can check it out!

**Icy Frost and Blue Angel**: R U leaving? I will add the other Scouts eventually, but I think "Scythe Reaps What Is Sown" is on hiatus for a while until I write more of this story and "Why We Can't."

**Meg-chan:** Is Seiko cute, or is he competition? Domo arigatou for all the reviews – they never fail to make me laugh. And your baka updates – it's nice to know that I'm not the only one in the world who goes through that sort of stuff. I wish I could give you more advice, but I probably wouldn't be all that reliable, since my only experience in romance comes from books, movies, and fanfiction. (sigh) But that's okay, because it'll just make the real thing all the sweeter when we find it, ne? In the meantime, write more fanfiction, onegai!

**Serenity-hime**: Hime-sama! Are those enough exclamation points? I get so excited every time I see one of your reviews; you're, like, my Sailor Moon fanfiction mentor. (Oops, did I sound preppy there?) I'm thrilled that you like Asanuma & Motoki – I thought I was taking a big gamble with them, but they turned out quite nicely. I'm also glad that you liked Serena and Darien's blossoming relationship…I am taking it very, very, very, very slowly in order to drag it out and savor it as long as possible, kind of like Wish-chan's New Trials. I want them to have a comfortable friendship before anything happens, and they're still nowhere near that point. But it's fun to have them walking on eggshells around each other while they ponder the prospect of romance. Um…credit for the explanation of the girls' disorders goes to RR; she gave me the idea. Thank you so much for your reviews, and I hope you like these new chapters!Cuteness is definitely approaching.

**Becx: **Heeheehee, aren't they funny when they think about liking each other?

**Eternalsailormooncosmo**: Domo arigatou! Your DiC episodes were way more gut-splitting than my stuff – we can't promote teen pregnancy! Ha! It's classic! I think about it every time I see Chibi-Chibi now!

**Chibi Doo**: I am usually an extremely depressing writer. That was all I wrote when I first got on but then Meg-chan dared me to write a happy story – this – and now I'm hooked. I can't write even an ounce of angst anymore. I am also proud of you for not thinking they knew each other's identities.

**Sirenic Griffin**: giggles back. I'm glad you think so. Thanks for keeping the dialogue v. action thing in mind, too, I was wondering if anyone would notice.

**Starlit Warrior**: Thank you very much. I really do need the luck, cause Zoicite and her plotting is driving me crazy.

**Nekoinuhanyou**: merci beaucoup.

**Neonlights**: I will, really soon! Thank you for reading and reviewing!

**Emmastarz**: Thank you. PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ review lots more!

**Sun+Moon, Earth+Sky**: (Swords-chan rubs hands together) Hmm, fresh meat. A new reviewer. I have a lot to say to you. First off, I adore your name. Not only does it sound cool, but it looks really cool, with those + signs. Whenever I see your plus signs, I know there's going to be a long, juicy review coming up. I'm really flattered that you say my fic sounds like how you act with your friends – cause that was really my goal when I started this fic, to place Serena and Dare in more everyday situations that we regular people could relate to. I feel your pain with the whole hot guy thing – I have yet to see a guy of Darien's hotness caliber, and there are absolutely NO hot guys at my high school, just a lot of rednecks with crewcuts and camo. Darn it. Anyways, I digress so that I can thank you SO MUCH for being such an awesome reviewer. I'm looking at your Chap 7 review right now, and I totally agree with you. I prefer Sere/Dare when they're with each other in regular life, I have a really hard time writing them in their Moon/Mask identities, cause it just feels really boring…I promise more Sere/Dare interaction.

**Secret Heart**: I am honored that you think so. (bows) I shall do my best. Love your name, BTW.

**Poisonmoon**: Oh i like your name

yes i do

**Nanie-san**: I didn't mean any offense to freshman, either …in fact, I'll tell you a secret, I'm one, too! And seniors are really mean, aren't they?


	9. Not a Parfait Day

A/N: Guess what, you guys? My friend Giri-chan – Revolutionnare Rouge to you guys on – has started her first Sailor Moon fic! It's a series called "Lessons of Life," and it's très hilarious – like five times as funny as STC, and I'm not kidding. It's based in the first season, and it's Sere/Dare – of course. Anyways, please check it out and leave her some reviews!

Also – one of my other best friends, Pyropoet22, has posted his first fanfic. It's an X-men one called "Newbies," so if you're interested in X-men, please check it out!

And now that I'm through shamelessly plugging my friends' stories…

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon….yet.

* * *

**Subject to Change**

* * *

"Wow." Asanuma blinked at golden blur streaking across the finish line. "We won." 

"Of course we did," said Darien in a disgusted voice. "Haven't you ever seen the Odango Atama sprint before?"

"Well – I'd heard of it, but – I mean – wow." Asanuma shook his head, breaking into a jog towards the bleachers where the rest of the class was waiting to head back to the locker rooms. "She's really good. Why isn't she on the track team?"

Darien thought back to the conversation in detention the previous day and shrugged. 'I dunno. Cause she's a lazy bum, I guess."

"Y'know, Dare, if you keep badmouthing her like that, she's never ever gonna to fall for you."

"I don't _want_ her to fall for me."

"Why _not_?" Asanuma looked as though he was about to throttle his friend.

"None of your business!" snapped Darien. "Back off."

"No! I wanna know why you insist on being so mean to her all the time. Seriously, Darien, Serena didn't talk at all after role call _at all_."

"Oh, and that's automatically my fault? News flash, Asanuma, Serena's world doesn't revolve around _me_. Despite how much you and every other dirty-minded pervert in this school would like to think otherwise," Darien snarled and broke into a sprint, leaving Asanuma in the dust. _They just don't get it. They'll never get it. I don't like Serena! Even if I did, I wouldn't do anything about it, because – as I displayed last night – I'm not capable of loving anyone._

* * *

"Ami, pleeeeeease. You _have _to get me out of detention," Serena pleaded pitifully. "Can't you just hack into the school system and cancel my punishment or something? I _can't _spend an hour alone with that creep!" 

"Serena, I told you seven times already, _no_. N-O. Too many teachers already know what you're supposed to be in detention today." Ami shoved her glasses up on her nose. "Now please leave me alone, I've only got half an hour left to finish counting the cracks in the sidewalk."

Serena sniffed and shuffled away. "You're so mean, Amiiiiii…."

* * *

After Motoki's cryptic and enigmatic description of Miss Lanai, Serena had expected strangeness. She had expected to be weirded out and possibly frightened. What she had _not_ expected was for the art teacher to scream delightedly and grab her by the arm when she entered the classroom. 

"_Parfait! Parfait!"_

Of course, the moment Serena's ears caught that word, her anxiety vanished to be replaced by excitement. "Parfaits? Where?" she exclaimed, peering around the room. After all, she hadn't had breakfast _or_ lunch. But all she could see in the room were rows and rows of easels, a desk, and a pastel green leather loveseat.

"No, no, no, not ze _dessert_ parfait," said the woman who had Serena's arm locked in her grip. "_Parfait_, as in French for _perfect_, as in _you_ are ze _perfect_ model for my masterpiece!"

"Oh," said Serena, crestfallen. _Darn it. _"So – um – you're Miss Lanai?"

"Lani, darling, call me Lani," insisted the woman in her heavy accent, turning to look at Serena.

Serena's jaw dropped as she got her first good look at the art teacher's face. It wasn't the green beret Miss Lanai was wearing that shocked her, nor was it the huge round glasses on her nose or the neat brown braid that fell over one of her shoulders. It was the small black mustache that had been penciled above her upper lip.

Suddenly realizing that she was staring, Serena tore her eyes away from the bit of artificial facial hair and cleared her throat awkwardly. This lady couldn't be the Moon Princess! Why would any self-respecting princess walk around with a mustache drawn on her upper lip? Maybe she had been exposed to too many paint fumes. Yes, that must be it. The paint fumes of the art room had addled her brains.

"Um – I'm Serena," Serena introduced herself uncertainly. Now that she had crossed that little bump, what should she do? If Miss Lanai was the princess, shouldn't she have already recognized Serena? Or maybe she didn't have her memories, either. Should Serena bow or something, and see if that helped to jog her memory?

"Serena?" Miss Lanai crinkled her nose daintily and shook her head, sending her braid flopping over her other shoulder. "No, no, no, no. _Je ne l'aime pas_. I do not like it. I will call you Matin. Oui, Matin. It is much better, non?"

_Matin? _thought Serena. _What in the heck does that mean? I knew I should have taken French instead of English…_

"'ere, 'ere, sit down, ma _chere_," urged Miss Lanai, pushing the flustered Serena down into the green sofa that stood in the center of the circle of easels. "Your boyfriend is coming soon, non? 'e is as good-looking as you are, is 'e?" She sighed, slumped her shoulders. "Although it would be too much to hope for to have two _modèles parfaits_…"

Serena bristled. "He's not my boyfriend – "

"_Oui, oui, je comprends._ 'e is just _un ami_ with benefits,_ non_?" Miss Lanai waggled her eyebrows suggestively. Serena felt like screaming. Then the squeal of the poorly-oiled door opening was heard, and they both turned to see a shock of blue-black hair poking into the room.

"Is this the art room – !"

"_PARFAIIIIIIIIIIT_!" shrieked Miss Lanai, lunging for Darien. She snatched him by the shirt collar and dragged him to where Serena sat, hurling him next to her on the loveseat. "_Mon dieu_, you did not tell me your boyfriend was so _'andsome_, Matin!"

"I'm not her boyfr – " Darien began in a strangled voice.

"_FERME LA BOUCHE_!" bellowed Miss Lanai, disappearing beneath one of her easels and re-emerging with a canvas in her hand and a pencil behind her ear. "Zip ze lip! I need silence to conceive ze perfect idea for ze painting! Mmm…" she frowned at them, stroking the ends of her 2-D mustache. "_Je l'ai_! You, 'ot boy, put Matin on your lap! And Matin, put your hands on 'is face – come, come, do not be shy! Believe me, darlings, you need not worry about my sense of propriety! I am French, remember? Adults films are _nozzing _compared to ze _Paris_ metro."

"Just do it, Odango," muttered Darien out of the side of his mouth. "The sooner we do what she says, the sooner we're outta here."

"Uh – right," said Serena, swallowing. She forced herself to scowl instead of quiver as she sat tentatively on Darien's lap, flushing with mortification.

"To ze side, to ze side, Matin," instructed Miss Lanai. "Sit sideways – yes, like zat, now put your 'hands on 'is face. _Vite, vite_!"

To hide her embarrassment, Serena slapped her hands on either side of Darien's nose somewhat overzealously. Darien flinched and let out a snarled obscenity that she stubbornly ignored.

"Is _this_ good?" she growled.

"Not so enthusiastically, darling! Look, now 'e is blushing!"

"I'm not blushing!" bit out Darien. "The blood is just rushing to my face because she slapped me so hard."

"_Oui, oui_, of course we believe you, darling." Miss Lanai winked at Serena. "Now, sit still while I work my magic."

She ducked back behind her easel and soon the only sound in the room was the crazed _scritch-scratch_ of her pencil flying back and forth across the canvas.

Serena was not a creature of quiet. She thrived on noise, on screaming and laughing and whining and teasing. Quiet unnerved her. So of course she began to fidget, first rocking back and forth in Darien's lap, then tapping her fingers impatiently where they lay on his face. A tic began to work in Darien's cheek, but Serena didn't notice it because she was resolutely keeping her eyes away from his face. It wasn't long before Darien snapped.

"Do you have to go to the bathroom or something?" he demanded, voice contemptuous. "Because I'm sure Miss Lanai would rather that we took a break than that you had an accident all over – "

"I _don't_ have to go to the bathroom!" shrieked Serena, her face burning up. "I'm just bored stiff, that's all!"

"'ey! No moving!" screeched Miss Lanai from behind her easel.

"But I'm _booooooored_," whined Serena. "Can't I at least talk?" She suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be checking if Miss Lanai was the princess or not. "Miss Lanai, have you ever heard of the Sailor Senshi?"

"Ze Sailor Senshi?" Miss Lanai's eyebrows furrowed above her large glasses. "Ze name sounds familiar. What are zey, cartoon characters?"

Serena choked. Darien twitched. She felt her fingers moving, and glanced up at him to see that his jaw was working furiously beneath her right hand.

"Um…not exactly," replied Serena, returning to Miss Lanai. Let Darien sort out his own schizophrenic dilemmas. "They're those uber-gorgeous super-heroes who protect Tokyo. You know, Sailor Mercury and Sailors Mars – and best of all, Sailor Moon!"

Miss Lanai stared at her blankly.

Serena bit her lip. If Miss Lanai was the Moon Princess, shouldn't she have at least some reaction to the mention of the Senshi?

Serena turned to Darien for help and felt a jolt as her eyes met his. Her hands were still loosely cupping his face, and his eyes were stormy and unfocused, his face tense. She had never seen him look so serious – had never seen _anyone_ look so serious, save for last night when Tuxedo Mask had stared angrily at Sailor Moon.

Serena shook her head free of the painful memory and pulled herself back to the present. "C'mon, help me out here, Darien, tell Miss Lanai who the Sailor Scouts are!"

"They're, uh…" Serena lightly tapped his nose, and his eyes refocused, boring into hers for a moment.

"Stop! Stop! Just like zat!" Miss Lanai shrieked suddenly, diving back behind her easel. "Do not move – _vous etes parfait!_"

Serena's fingers trembled against Darien's skin. She sat very still, trying to focus on Darien's pitch-black pupils instead of his hypnotic blue irises. This was so wrong – why was looking at Darien affecting her like this? Stupid hormones. She didn't _like_ Darien, he was an obnoxious pig; it was just physical attraction that she was feeling. Something that she wasn't in control of. Something that wasn't real, unlike her feelings for Tuxedo Mask, who could always make her smile, not make her want to cry like Darien did.

"Almost done, almost done…" panted Miss Lanai, darting greedy glances between the two teens and her canvas. "Almost…_fin_!"

Serena tore away from Darien, from both his eyes and his hands. So swiftly did she stumble away, in fact, that she landed on the floor on her bottom.

"_Mon dieu_!" gasped Miss Lanai. "'ot boy, 'elp Matin up!"

"No, I'm fine, I'm fine!" babbled Serena quickly, scrambling to her feet before Darien could proffer a hand to help her – not that he would have, anyway. "I do that all the time. Um – can we go now?"

"Yes, I suppose you two are eager to be alone after zat little interlude," said Miss Lanai slyly. "Be 'ere tomorrow at ze same time so zat I mat begin to paint ze wonderful sketch."

"Okay!" gasped Serena quickly. "Um – bye!" She dashed out the door.

"_A bientot _– oh, _non_! Matin, your bag!" Scooping up the forgotten schoolbag, Miss Lanai hurried to the door. However, Serena had already vanished from sight. "_Mon dieu_, she is quick. But what about her bag?"

"I'll take it," said Darien, coming up behind her. He held out a hand fro the briefcase. "I know where she's headed, I'll give it to her."

Miss Lanai speared him with a searching gaze. "'ow long 'ave you know her?" she asked abruptly.

Darien's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "About two years ago, I guess," he answered vaguely, thinking back in his head. He'd been a freshman and she an eighth grader come to the school with her friend Molly for Orientation… "Yeah, two years."

"Your counting is off, I think," said Miss Lanai, quirking an eyebrow. She rubbed a finger across one end of her mustache, smearing it across her upper lip, a rather grotesque sight. "But you're young after all. Ah, _bien_. Till tomorrow, then." So saying, she shut the door, and Darien found himself standing alone in the hallway.

He frowned, puzzling over her words. He recounted the years in his head: yes, he'd definitely been fourteen, and she'd been thirteen, because her sixteenth birthday was this summer…the woman was touched in the head, that was all. How would she know anyway? She'd just inhaled too many paint fumes, that was all.

Pushing the thought to the back of his mind, he turned and headed towards the arcade, hoping to God that there wasn't a youma battle that night. He didn't think he would be able to face Sailor Moon without falling at her feet and begging for forgiveness for what he'd done.

* * *

A/N: Eh. Another chapter I'm not really happy with. Oh well. 

What did you guys think of Miss Lanai? Do you want me to take some of the French out, or do you like it? Tell me in your reviews, please – and if you have any ideas for what you'd like to see in the story, pass them my way.


	10. Smells Like Smoke

A/N: This chapter is out reasonably quickly for two reasons. One, I felt bad for taking so long with chapter 8, and two – well, I really didn't wanna study for my Geometry test. Which means I'm gonna fail this semester, because I got a 77 on my last test… (breaks into sobs) WAAAAAAHHHHHHH! Why is my teacher so MEEEEEEEEEEEAN?

Disclaimer: Hey, who's to say that Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me? Maybe I'm actually Naoki Takeuchi writing here under an alias because I'm currently hiding from the aliens whose lives I based the Sailor Moon series on. Or maybe I'm actually Ryan Seacrest, who can only write fanfiction in anonymous communities because if the secret got out that I liked Sailor Moon, everyone would think I was gay. Or maybe I'm Paris Hilton's clone, and I like writing about girls in short skirts as much I like wearing them. (Wearign short skirts, I mean, not wearing girls who wear short skirts, because that would just be creepy and really difficult to do.)

Or maybe I'm just a poor Sailor Moon fan who doesn't know how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.

_The world may never know._

(I _really_ need to lay off the Mountain Dew, don't I?)

* * *

**Subject To Change**

* * *

"Motoki, I need a double cheeseburger, STAT!" panted Serena as she barreled into the arcade and flopped down in the booth beside Ami and Rei. "And a chocolate milkshake with a splash of vodka, if you can manage it."

"I'll see what I can do," promised Motoki with a laugh. "Why the huge appetite?"

"I didn't eat lunch or breakfast today," answered Serena somewhat woozily.

Motoki's eyes widened as he watched her sway slightly in her seat. "Oh, God! Quick, Ami, pour some of those sugar packets in her mouth, I'll bring the food as soon as I can!" He disappeared behind the counter.

"Serena, Serena," sighed Ami as she tore open a couple of sugar packages and leaned across the table to empty their contents onto Serena's tongue. "When are you going to start being more responsib – ew, ew, ew, you just licked my finger!" Ami shoved her briefcase at Rei, holding the "contaminated" finger away from her at arm's length as though to keep any of Serena's saliva germs from jumping onto her head. "Quick, Rei, I've got disinfectant wipes in the front pocket – "

Rei rolled her eyes and began rummaging through the briefcase.

"Ididanmeenodoah," protested Serena with the sugar still piled on her tongue. She swallowed and sighed, laying her cheek tiredly on the tabletop. "It was just an accident."

"Here." Rei tossed a wipe to Ami, muttering under her breath, "Freak."

"I heard that!" snapped Ami, scrubbing her finger vigorously. "At least my odd quirks haven't gotten me _arrested_ like a _certain_ arsonist."

"They never proved that it was me," said Rei stubbornly, crossing her arms. Smoke began to rise from her armpits. She hastily uncrossed her arms and blew on her slightly glowing hands, trying to cool them down. "Oops."

Serena giggled slightly, face still pressed to the table surface. "That's why most people wear deodorant, Rei."

Rei flushed. "Shut up, you!"

"Here's your food, Usa-chan – hey, were you guys burning stuff over here?" Motoki set the overflowing tray or burgers, fries, and shakes down on the table and waved a napkin around in the air, trying to clear the air. "It smells like smoke."

"That's my – uh – hair," said Ami quickly, shooting a scowl at Rei.

"Your hair?" Motoki asked blankly.

"Yes. I, um….accidentally set the hair dryer up too high this morning!" Ami exclaimed with a nervous titter. "You know how it goes, one minute it's just blowing and then – POOF! – your hair's on fire."

"Actually, I didn't know that, but, um, I'll file it away for future reference." Motoki backed away from the table. "Uh – call if you need anything else, okay, Usa-chan?" He turned and fled.

"I think you scared him, Ami," remarked Rei. "What do you think, Serena?"

Serena glanced innocently up at them, her eyes barely visible because her cheeks were crammed so full of food. She gulped – the lump as the food made its way down her throat was clearly visible ("Ew," said Rei disgustedly. "Which chipmunk are you, Serena, Chip or Dale?") – and opened her mouth. She seemed about to say something, then changed her mind and stuffed more French fries into her mouth instead. Rei and Ami sweatdropped.

"Y'know, I can't remember exactly what we came here for, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't to watch Serena slowly turn into the Nutty Professor," Rei said to Ami.

"No, we didn't," replied Ami. Her eyes, however, were still fastened on Serena, who had moved from on from the fries to the mozzarella sticks. "But I bet a lot of people would be willing to pay money to see this sort of thing."

"Hmm…" Rei stroked her chin thoughtfully. (Or perhaps she was actually stroking an invisible goatee – we'll never know.) "I like the way you think, Mizuno."

"Stop, Rei, you're making me turn red."

"Aw, stop being so modest, Ami – "

"No, really, your fire giving me a sunburn." Ami fished a piece of ice out of her coke and held it to her flushed face. "Stop trying to forge a sword out of the napkin dispenser."

"Darn." Guiltily, Rei hid the glowing piece of metal behind her back. "Foiled again."

Ami, however, wasn't paying attention to Rei. She had her mini-comp out and she was watching Serena with an expression of growing horror on her face. "SHE'S GONNA BLOW!" the bluenette yelled suddenly, diving under the table and yanking Rei down with her. "DUCK FOR COVER!"

**_BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRP!_**

Ami and Rei – hair sticking out at all angles from their heads – peeked tentatively over the top of the tabletop.

"What the heck, Odango!" yelled Rei. "If I had been burning something right then, this whole joint would've exploded!"

"Sorry," said Serena sleepily, laying her head back on the table and yawning…

"Oh, no you don't!" exclaimed Ami, grabbing Serena by the shoulder and jarring her awake. "You can't fall asleep yet! We still have You-Know-What business to discuss! And you haven't even started your Geometry homework yet – "

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Serena, jolting fully awake. "My Geometry homework! I left my bag in Miss Lanai's room! Why MEEEEEEEEEEEEE - ?"

"Calm down, Odango, I've got your bag right here," came Darien's voice. He appeared beside their table.

Automatically, Serena cocked a fist and let out a retort. "And I've got your knuckle sandwich right here, Shields – wait, you have my homework?" She pounced on the bright pink bag he held out and snatched it, hugging it tight to her chest. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou – oh, wait, never mind. Stupid jerk." She glared at him. "You probably went through all my stuff."

"Why would I do an idiotic thing like that?"

"Because you're an idiot, duh." Serena clamped her mouth shut and beckoned to Ami and Rei. "Come on, guys, let's go. We don't have the time to waste talking to this _creep_." She led them imperiously towards the door, then froze and darted past them and Darien back to the table. "Oops, forgot to pay!" She fished a wad of bills out of her pocket and threw them on the table, then stalked past Darien, making sure to flick a ponytail in his face as she did so. "Let's bust this joint, guys."

* * *

"Okay, you guys, time to be serious," said Ami as they staked out their place around a bench next to the lake at the park. She pulled her glasses out and pushed them up onto her nose, a sure sign that she was preparing to go into her Way Ill-Tempered Cruel Hag mode, or W.I.T.C.H mode for short.

"Uh-oh," whispered Serena to Rei.

Rei nodded in fervent agreement and elbowed Serena further down the bench in order to put some distance between her and W.I.T.C.H. Ami. Rei kept elbowing, and Serena kept scooting, until finally there was no more bench left. Then Rei elbowed her one more time.

"OOF!" rushed the breath from Serena's lungs as she landed on her butt for the umpteenth time that day. "OW! REI!"

"What?" asked Rei innocently.

"You pushed me off the bench!" pouted Serena, sticking out her upper lip and rubbing her bottom tenderly. "Now it's gonna be all bruised…"

"Well, look at it this way," said Rei pragmatically, "maybe it'll swell up too, and you'll have a butt like J. Lo!"

Serena gasped in horror. "But I don't want a butt like J. Lo's!"

"Why not?" demanded Rei. "People pay thousands of dollars every day for butt implants so that their butts'll look like J. Lo's."

"Michael Jackson spent millions of dollars on plastic surgery, too, and look where that got him," Serena retorted. "And why are you so obsessed with J. Lo's butt?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Serena wrinkled her nose. "Not really." She thought for a minute, then scooted across the grass further away from the bench Ami and Rei sat on. "I don't think I feel comfortable transforming in front of you anymore, Rei."

"SERENA!" Turning red – with anger or embarrassment, who could tell? – Rei dove for Serena, who yelped and jumped into Ami's lap.

"Ami, save me! Oh, where's Tuxedo Mask when you need him?"

"STOP IT!" bellowed Ami, shooting to her feet.

Serena tumbled to the ground, and Rei – who had been lunging for Serena – smashed nose-first into the back of the bench. "Ow…"

"I told you two it was time to be serious," growled Ami, the light from the streelamps glinting sinisterly off her glasses. She pointed a finger at them. "Behave. _Now_.

Or I'll tell Luna on you. She should be here in a few minutes."

Rei and Serena whimpered, the former clutching her nose and the latter rubbing her rear. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good." Ami pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and spread it out on the bench. She smoothed it out and sat down, muttering to herself. "Who knows what kind of displays of public affection could have taken place on this bench…"

"Nice work, Ami." A small dark shape leapt onto the genius' lap. "It's not often that anyone can make the two of them shut up. Maybe I should have made _you_ leader." The cat flicked a pointed cinnabar look at the blonde on the ground.

"Here's an idea," said Ami, lowering her face to the cat's level so that her menacing spectacles brushed against Luna's whiskers. "How about we START THIS STUPID MEETING!"

"I second that motion," inserted Rei, raising a hand. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner I can get home and watch _Summerland_ – I mean, finish my chores!"

"SILENCE!" thundered Ami.

"T-t-thank you, Ami," said Luna shakily, still trembling from the bluenette's earlier bellow. "Er – okay. We need to talk about last night's battle. Things did not go well, to put it mildly."

"About as mildly as Tobacso sauce." Rei snorted. "Me and Ami end up unconscious and one of Tuxedo Mask's roses kill a youma? That was either one really wimpy youma or Tuxedo Mask was in a really bad mood."

Serena opened her mouth to say something, thinking of the fury she had seen smoldering in his eyes, then thought better of it and pressed her lips together. _They're already suspicious of him, and I don't want them to be mad at him until we find out what's up. _She brought her knees up to her chest and knotted her arms around them, watching the others' conversation.

"I'm not so much worried about Tuxedo Mask as I am about how we got knocked out without even seeing out attacker," said Ami. "Serena, you said you didn't see what happened to us?"

Serena shook her head. "I was kinda busy with Zoicite." (A/N: Get your minds out of the gutters, you hentai!)

"So it must have been the youma," said Ami to Luna. "But usually youma aren't that competent…I just don't see how it could've snuck up on us like that…"

Serena resisted the temptation to point out that the Senshi hadn't exactly been at their best during the last couple of battles. After all, it would be sort of like the pot calling the kettle black, wouldn't it?

"There's a very good chance that it was Tuxedo Mask," sad Luna abruptly. "After all, you told me that Zoicite had you for at least three minutes, correct, Serena?" Not waiting for an answer, Luna continued, "Based on past experiences, Tuxedo Mask has usually arrived to do his knight in shining armor bit well before that, but he didn't show up until the very last minute last night. I think we should consider the possibility that he was the one who knocked out Ami and Rei."

"But that's stupid," Serena interrupted. "Why would he bother rescuing me if he was knocking out my friends? That doesn't make any sense."

"What about any of this makes sense?" muttered Rei. "Ami's hair is _blue_, my eyes are _purple_, we flounce around town in miniskirts and high heels at least three nights a week getting rescued by some guy in a tuxedo who throws _roses_, and we're sitting here talking to a _cat_."

Serena sent Rei a sour glance. "I'd like to point out that you're the only one who wears high heels," she said. "Me and Ami wear boots. And we don't _flounce_. We skip with purpose."

"Oh, Holy Spirit," muttered Luna. "Enough of this, you two. Serena, I know how you feel about Tuxedo Mask, but at this point in time we have to regard him as an enemy."

"But _why_?" demanded Serena, biting her lip to hold back the tears that inexplicably sprang to her eyes. "He would never hurt us, Luna. He wouldn't!"

"But he _can_," snapped Luna. "Maybe you think he _wouldn't_, Serena, but he _is _capable of it now. Before, I let your little crush on him go because I thought that he was just some wannabe superhero prancing around with roses. But now you tell me that yesterday he pulled a bladed weapon out of thin air – and what's more, he killed a youma all by himself! He's not a harmless bystander anymore, Serena, he's someone who wields some sort of power that we don't know anything about. If he has the power to destroy a youma on his own, then he has more than enough power to take on one of you three, and that's what I'm worried about."

Luna's eyes bored into Serena's, daring her to defy her will. Serena kept the contact for only a moment, then sighed internally and looked away, defeated. _What's the point, anyway? _Luna didn't think her opinion wasn't worth listening to – she never did. And maybe most of the time, Serena's opinion really _wasn't_ worth listening to. After all, she was just a naïve, not particularly bright fifteen-year-old. But she had a feeling about this, an emotion entrenched in her gut, that Tuxedo Mask was someone she could trust. Not an enemy – never an enemy.

But – she sighed again – maybe that was just what she _wished _was true. The memory of his infuriated, burning blue eyes floated into her mind's eye again. Maybe he _was _their enemy. But if he was, why had he rescued her so many times before? Why hadn't he just left her to her death? And that time at the office supply store – surely he wouldn't have said those things to her if he hated her. Would he? Maybe had had just been acting, to coax her into liking him so that he could betray her. Serena automatically cringed away from the thought. No, it would be better if he hadn't bee flirting with me at all that for _that_ to be true. Yes, that's what. I just misread his intentions, and he really wasn't flirting with me at all…after all, why would he? _Stupid Serena, how could you even think he liked you back? You're an idiot, just like the jerkwad says, not even a llama would look twice at you._

"I…guess you're right," Serena conceded quietly to Luna. She stood and brushed off her skirt. "We can't risk him hurting us." _Although it's already too late for that._

"Good girl," said Luna reprovingly. "I knew you wouldn't want to risk the Scouts getting hurt just because of a silly crush."

Serena's eyes flew wide open as a wave of guilt crash into her. _Oh my God! I didn't even think about the Scouts! Oh, God, I'm so selfish…_ Feeling like a scumbucket, Serena mumbled, "Yeah."

"Well, time to go!" Rei bounced to her feet. "Jesse McCartney, here I come!" She sped away into the dusk.

"I'll be off too," said Ami, rising and plucking the handkerchief from the bench. She dropped it in a nearby trashcan. "I'm sorry it turned out like this, Serena."

_No, no, I'm sorry I'm such a horrible friend._ Serena forced a smile. "No, it's okay. Don't worry about it, Ami. Just study hard for that Chemistry test tomorrow! I'm sure you'll ace it."

"I sure hope so," Ami sighed. "Well, bye."

"Yeah." Serena waved half-heartedly. "Bye."

* * *

A/N: You know, I just realized that if I fail Geometry, my parents aren't gonna let me write fanfiction anymore…oh man, I better go cram, quick…

Please please please please please, review! Tell me if the humor here is on par with the first couple of chapters, I don't know if I'm funny anymore.


	11. Feel Like a Slug

A/N: Again, a chapter I'm not really happy with.

Disclaimer: Owning Sailor Moon is way too stressful. I'm thinking of selling it. Any bidders? I know, I know, what a dirty joke. Some of you were pulling out your checkbooks, weren't you?

* * *

Subject to Change

* * *

"That's it!" roared Coach Etoukou when his eyes landed on Serena and Darien the next morning. Both appeared equally dejected, with mussed hair and pale faces: Serena sat hugging her knees to her chest on the pavement, Darien stood with his hands shoved in his pockets; both were staring into space with bloodshot eyes. "I'm tired of this! I thought you two fighting was bad, but you two not fighting is worse! You leave me only two options – I'll send you to the office and call a parent conference to sort this out, or you'll sort it out on the bleachers, right now." He pointed a stubby finger at the bleachers sitting a couple hundred yards away next to the track.

When neither of the teens responded, he bellowed, "CHOOSE!"

Serena's eyes slid like melting butter towards Darien. He glanced at her, thinking. If Coach called a parent conference – which he very well might, he seemed quite emotional about all this – Serena would find out that he was an orphan. And he most emphatically did not want that. Moreover, he didn't want her pity.

Darien's dark eyes hardened. "Bleachers?" he said to her.

Serena shrugged, the coolness of the gesture not belying her inner anguish. _He hates me. And I don't blame him. _"Fine."

"Go, then," ordered Coach. "And don't show your sorry, well-toned butts back here until you can't hold a civil conversation for five minutes without fighting."

Serena lifted her head to shoot Darien a _what the heck is he smoking?_ look at the coach's rather alarming remark about "well-toned butts," then realized that they were fighting, and quickly ducked her head back down.

They both began to shuffle away from the gym towards the bleachers in the field. It was a quiet journey, so deafening that Serena would have begun to talk to herself – since she certainly wasn't about to talk with Darien – to break the silence if she wasn't so tired from staying up all night and wondering what Tuxedo Mask's motives really were.

The bottom bleacher bench made a little whine as Serena threw herself onto it, and she welcomed even that small sound to break the silence.

Darien stood above her, and she looked up at him expectantly, unwilling to speak first. She would show him how stubborn she could be.

Her obduracy served her well. The silence only stretched on for a couple more minutes before Darien broke.

"I…uh…" She watched him rake a hand through his hair. "The other day, when I was – you know…"

"Acting like a jerk?" she supplied sarcastically.

She couldn't be certain, but she was pretty sure she saw him wince. "Yeah, that. I didn't really mean it."

Serena leaned back in the bleacher, knotting her hands around one knee. _What is this? Another empty apology? He's just gonna do it again…he couldn't like you enough to apologize, he hates you, remember? He's just saying this so I'll forgive him and he can get out of trouble with Coach…_ "Is that so?"

He threw her an exasperated look. "You're not gonna make this easy for me, are you?"

"No." Her voice came out knife-edged. _Go on. Tell him off. He's not Luna. He can't take advantage of you. Show him you're not just sweet Serena. _"Because this is the same thing you told me two days ago. But here we are in the same situation with you apologizing for doing the same thing. Silly of me to think that you'd actually changed." In spite of herself, her voice raised just a little, and some of her own self-loathing leaked into the words. "_Stupid_ of to think that you could be nice – " She let out a strangled sound, half scream and half sigh, and regained control of herself. "But it's your idiocy we're discussing right now, not mine. You're brain-dead if you think I'm gonna fall for the whole _I'm sorry Serena, please forgive me _crap again."

"Hey, I said I was sorry, okay!" Serena heard the anger flaring in his voice and was obscurely comforted by it, because it meant that her treatment of him was justified…_kind of._ "Isn't that enough for you?"

"No," said Serena, injecting ice into her voice. _You said you were sorry before, and you obviously didn't mean it. What's to say you mean it this time?_ "In case you hadn't noticed, Shields, I'm not one of those simpering underclassmen girls who swoon every time you open your mouth. _I_ don't _need_ you. I don't have any reason to bother with you if you're going to treat me like trash over and over again." She lifted her chin defiantly, eyes narrowed. "You wanted things to go back to normal, didn't you? Well, here we are. I hate you, you hate me, we're fighting, we're in trouble, just like _normal_. Isn't _that_ enough for _you_?" She hurled his own words back in his face.

"You don't understand!" Darien exploded. His eyes swirled stormily, flashing into hers like lightning bolts. She refused to avert her gaze and stared back stonily. _I am just as strong as you. _With a strangled growl, he whirled away from her and slammed his fist into the bleachers struts. The metal groaned and bent inwards, but Serena was too intent on keeping her expression under control to notice. "You think I _want _to hurt you?"

_You really think I would have let you get hurt?_ Serena's nails dug into her palms. For a moment, her fight with Darien slid away, receding into fog. The sensation of phantom arms and the ghostly gust of his words into her ear surrounded her. _Tuxedo Mask… _

"I don't do these things on purpose!" Serena was yanked back to reality with the sound of Darien's voice. "Sometimes they just happen!"

"Oh, I get it." Serena nodded sarcastically to cover her inner turmoil. _Stop thinking about him. You can't be with him. You'll endanger Mars and Mercury…and the princess…_ "What you're saying is that it's not _your_ fault you can't control your temper."

"No – I mean, yes, but – no! No, that's not what I meant!" Darien made a strangling gesture with his hands. "Look – could you just stop acting like that for a minute!"

"Acting like what?"

"Like that. All cynical and cold."

"Oh, you mean like you?" Serena demanded, eyes flashing. "What else am I supposed to do, huh? Act happy and nice and naïve – like it doesn't matter? Like I'm going to pretend nothing ever happened? Things don't work like that, Da – Shields." She hastily corrected herself. _Oh God, maybe he does mean it. But…_ "You can't just erase the things you've done and start over again. _I _can't erase the things you've done." Her voice faltered for a moment – _what if he really does mean it? So what if he means it this time. He still hurt me!_– then sped up with more fervor than before. "I wish I could erase them, because they hurt! Right here!" She pounded a fist on her chest, directly above her heart. Despite her best efforts to harden her resolve and blow him off totally, the words began to spill out. "Maybe I'm a wimp, maybe I'm too sensitive, but I don't like when people treat me like they're my friends and then show that they're actually not! It scares me…it makes me afraid that maybe everyone in the world is like that – maybe no one in the world actually likes me at all, and they're all just pretending because I'm not even worth liking."

She bit her lip and looked away, blinking rapidly for a moment to rid her eyes of the moisture that had gathered in them. Her next words were bitter. "But you wouldn't know about that, would you? After all, _everyone _loves Darien."

* * *

(Switch in Point of View)

_Ouch. Talk about feeling like a slug._

_But how could she even think that about herself? Hasn't she even noticed that half the male student population has their eyes glued to her? Hasn't she noticed that she has the most loyal – if extremely psychotic – friends in the universe? And that she has Motoki and Asanuma – and me?_

No, of course she hadn't noticed. Because he had kept her beaten down, trampled like a flower beneath combat boots, bulldozing over her self-esteem with his insults and snide comments. None of which he had really meant – not really. He has just meant them as fond jokes, the kinds one teased a little sister with. But it seemed that the Odango didn't regard him quite as fondly as she would an older brother. Which hurt, kind of, but who was he to be complaining?

He chose his next words carefully, measuring them out like medicine. "Serena…I am sorry. Really, really sorry. Yesterday was just…just another example of me being an idiot and taking out my problems on you. I haven't had the…most pleasant of weeks."

"Really?" came Serena's acerbic reply. "What was so bad about it? Did you get a B on a test? Oh, the horror!"

"No," gritted out Darien, a flame of anger licking the glacier of calm he had procured. "I had relationship trouble, something you never nothing about, since no guy has ever been stupid enough to ask you out on a date."

Serena's eyes flashed pain. "See?" Her arms circled her ribs, as though trying to shield her heart from an invisible spear. She took a deep breath, lowering her head to rest apathetically on her chest.

Darien didn't move, barely breathing. _You slug! You slug! _His subconscious shouted at him. _You are the biggest, fattest, lying hypocrite I have ever seen – _

"Odango," he said, reaching out to her without realizing, "Odango, I didn't mean it – please – "

Serena lifted her head, and when she did, there were tears trickling swiftly down her cheeks. He tore his eyes away from them and focused on her blue eyes, trying to read the emotions residing within them. The effort was as futile as trying to count raindrops.

"Serena…"

She cut him off. Still hugging her arms to herself, she rocked herself slowly back and forth. "I know. I know you didn't mean it, Darien." Her voice was a whisper. Was that good or bad?

Serena took another deep breath. "I…I understand. It makes a lot more sense now that – that you explained it to me." She laughed slightly, hair falling across her face. Though it was the middle of the morning, and the sun beat down fiercely on his back, Darien felt a shiver make its way down his spine. "People do….weird things for love…don't we? Stupid things."

"Odango…" Darien wasn't quite sure what to say. What did a naive kid like Serena think she knew about love? And if she was so naïve, why did her words hit so close to home? "Odango, did someone hurt you? Seiko?"

"No." Serena laughed again and tilted her head back to look at him. Her eyes sparkled like crystals in the sunlight that shafted down. But a strange chill pervaded the image of her, leaning back and laughing with crystalline eyes. This…this wasn't the Odango he knew. "I'm the only one who hurt me. Me and my stupidity. Now I've just gotta make sure it doesn't hurt anyone else." She lowered her head again and stood. When she looked up once more, she looked more normal, softer. Not sharp and jagged like shards of ice. "Do you need to talk about it?" she asked with a timid gentleness. "About your, um, relationship trouble?"

"No." Darien shook his head. "It's over." _Not that it ever started to begin with._

"Well…" Serena tilted her head rather doubtfully. "I'm…here – if you ever want to, you know, talk…"

"You'll be the first one I ask," he promised. He hesitated a moment. "Does that mean that we're friends now?"

Serena shook her head, and he felt his insides twist. _Buck up, Shields, she's just some underclassman, why should you care? _"Why do you even care? You don't want to be friends with me."

Darien made a noise of protest, but she cut him off. "No – think about it, Darien. Really think about it, think about the way you treat me. Am I someone that you actually, honestly like? As a human being? Or am I just your punching bag? Something to take your frustrations out on when you're mad?"

Darien fell silent, his eyelashes' shadows darkening his irises as his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Through the haze that was engulfing her as she watched his stormy eyes, she felt a needle of surprise that he was actually doing something she said.

"I…don't think you're right," he said at long last, pulling her from the fog. She watched him ever so carefully, schooling her face into a blank mask, because she didn't want him to see the pain, the shame that would flood her when he told her that she wasn't someone worthy of his friendship. "I mean, I'm not justifying my outburst or anything, but the fact that I yell at you, or that I'm short with you – means that I feel comfortable enough with you to express my emotions. With other people, I just clam up and pretend nothing's wrong – but I don't feel like I need to hide anything. I trust you enough to see how I really feel. Isn't _that_ what friendship's about?"

Serena didn't reply. Her eyes remained glued on Darien's, piercing and sharp. He felt dread coil in his stomach. He had overstepped the boundaries – what on earth had possessed him to think he knew anything about what friendship was, anyways? Him, Darien Shields, who had never had a conversation with anyone that lasted longer than ten minutes until he reached high school. He was such an idiot. _Idiot, idiot, idiot…_

Finally, Serena spoke. Her eyes burned into his. "Every time I think I've got you figured out, you go and say something like that." Her voice still held an edge – this time, an edge of desperation. "Every time I've finally managed to convince myself you're a heartless jerk who isn't worth my time, you have to go and say something that makes everything better…why can't you just let me hate you!" Her wan cheeks were stained crimson with anger and maybe something else. She dragged her hands down the sides of her face, as though trying to rub the color away. "God, Shields, I don't understand you. How you're all nice and happy one minute, and then depressed and evil the next – but I guess – " she took a deep breath, " – if you trust me that much…I could give it a try…learning to understand you, I mean…"

At first, Darien fought to keep the happiness he felt exploding in his veins from showing on his face, but then he realized that this would be a clear act of hypocrisy against the words he'd just told Serena. And he vowed that if nothing else in this world, those words – that he trusted her – were never going to turn into lies. They would always remain the truth, if he had anything to do about it. He wouldn't betray her trust the way he'd betrayed Sailor Moon's. Ever.

So he let the grin uncurl on his face, and was rewarded with a smile blossoming timidly on Serena's.

"Just – promise me one thing," said Serena seriously, her light eyes boring into his with an intensity that unnerved him. "If you hurt me – and don't try to tell me you won't, because you will, that sort of thing happens no matter what – you have to tell me why, okay?"

"Yeah, of course," Darien agreed without thinking. He wouldn't hurt Serena again, no matter what she said, he wouldn't let himself be mean to her anymore, she didn't deserve it, so she didn't need to be worrying about him explaining himself to her. "I will."

"_Promise _me."

"I promise – I'll never hurt you, Serena, and therefore I'll never hurt you without explaining why," he added before she could stop him. "So – friends?"

"Friends." Serena grabbed his hand in hers and skipped with him off down the track. Just on time, too, for the bell rang at that moment, and they both broke into a run, screaming, "NOOOOO! WE'RE LAAAAAATE!"

Then Darien stopped dead, and Serena smashed nose-first into his back. She bounced backwards onto the grass. "Ow! Why'd you stop, you numbskull?"

"I just realized something," said Darien slowly, a sly twinkle in his eye. "We already have detention…"

"So they can't give it to us again even if we're late," finished Serena, pumping a fist in the air. "Yes! I could get used to this whole detention thing." She giggled.

Darien eyed her a moment. Serena didn't usually giggle. With her, it was either a full-out, gut-busting, side-splitting, knee-slapping, hee-haw howl of laughter. Serena giggling meant one of either three things: she was about to keel over from exhaustion, she was high on sugar, or she was faking it.

The second option was out of the question. Serena on a sugar-spike would have split his eardrums with some high-pitched squeal or other by now. The first option was a possibility, especially with the huge bags that lay beneath her eyes, but something about the falsetto pitch of her giggle made Darien almost certain it was the third option – she was faking. Something was still bothering her.

Darien ignored the slight feeling of disappointment in his stomach – so his behavior towards her wasn't the only reason that she had shown up to school looking like heck and grumpier than Satan. Big deal. Of course she had a life outside of him. Of course she had friends he didn't know, and a social calendar on which he didn't exist at all. And this didn't bother him. Not a whit. Of course not.

Which was why he decided not to probe her on the matter of what was still bothering her. Well, that, and he didn't want to set her off again.

That was what he told himself, anyways.

* * *

A/N: Blech. Review, please. Tell me what I can do to make the story better. 


	12. Guilt Trip

**

* * *

A/N: This chapter was really fun to write, and my friends Giri-chan and Jade-Eye were a huge help (but Giri-chan, I lost the papers you marked stuff on! I'm so sorry!).**

This chapter is dedicated to them.

**Note:** As the school year draws to a close, my teachers have poured a monsoon of work on us. I currently have three tests and five projects due within the next two weeks, plus finals, so I may not be updating until the middle of May – when Star Wars comes out! WOOHOOOOO! Um, don't freak out, I'll prob'ly just write a lot and daydream a lot about the story so that I'll have a lot to post when I do come back. Thanks, all!

**Disclaimer:** You do realize that the only reason I write these it to add more words to my story's word count, right? Yeah, it's true. Anyhow, I don't own Sailor Moon.

* * *

**Subject to Change**

* * *

From the diary of a random Azabu High School ninth-grader:

_Dear Diary, _

_OMG, the strangest thing just happened! Three kids fainted, and Principal Waishatsu had a heart attack! Right in the middle of the cafeteria! Karounen-sensei just called the ambulance!_

_What happened that caused such a shock, you ask? Well, Darien Shields, **the **love of my life, just sat down next to **Serena Tsukino**. Tsukino, that ditzy blonde tenth grader who always has the grades at the bottom of the rankings board. I'd never really wasted much thought on her till now, but when Shields-senpai plopped down next to her at the table she shares with other social rejects – the blue-haired brain-tank girl and the redhead with the annoying accent – everyone around me started taking bets on how long it'd be before they started going out. I just asked Guri-chan, and she said that Murasaki-chan heard from her sister, who heard it from Asanuma-san in her Physics class, that Shields-senpai has had a crush on Tsukino-san for ages._

_I don't see how that could be true, though. I mean, I watch Shields-senpai quite closely – no, I'm not a stalker! – in all the classes I have with him (which are only P.E. and lunch, unfortunately) and I've never seen him do anything but tease Tsukino-san. It's not even the flirting type of teasing, it's more like the "I've got no one else to pick on, so I'll pick on you," and Tsukino-san seems to hate it. I can't see why, I'd die of happiness of Shields-senpai teased **me**. But anyways, Shields-senpai has never been anything but condescending towards Tsukino-san (and who can blame him? She's a ditz!)_

_But right now, while he's sitting next to her, the usual hostility that's usually between them doesn't seem to exist **at all**! She hasn't shouted at him even once, and anyone who's ever spent ten minutes in a room with the both of them knows that that's about a miracle – or not, in my case._

_Actually, the atmosphere between them seems kind of awkward. Which is good for me, right? Their elbows are bent kinda funny at their sides, like they're trying to avoid accidentally brushing up against one another. But Tsukino-san's smiling way too much – like the way she does whenever she's talking to one of the myriad boys who have crushes on her. She never smiles this much talking to **Shields-senpai.**_

_Oh, wait! Seiko-senpai is approaching them! Everyone knows he's one of Tsukino-san's most active pursuers (except for Shields-senpai? Hopefully not.), and even he rarely gets close enough to her to do anything more than chat with her between classes every couple of days._

_Oh, he's at the table, he's speaking – oh, please, Seiko-senpai, if they're together, break them up!_

* * *

"Check it out." Asanuma jerked his thumb towards the cafeteria doors. "Looks like the ambulance has arrived for Principal Waishatsu. "Hey, Ami-san, are you gonna eat that shepherd's pie?"

"That lump of seething carcinogens?" Ami wrinkled her nose distastefully and nudged the food item towards Asanuma with the tip of her plastic, school-issued fork. "I think not. Here, you're welcome to it, but don't say I didn't warn you."

"Thanks!" Asanuma dug a forkful of brownish glop out of the Styrofoam container and shoved it in his mouth. He grinned at Darien while he chewed. "Hey, Dare, I like sitting with the underclassmen! They're so generous! Can we sit with them again tomorrow?"

"Oh, I see how it is, Asanuma-kun," pouted Serena, pretending to be hurt. "That's all we mean to you? Free food?"

"Actually, I did have this Trig worksheet I needed some help with…" trailed off Asanuma, looking at Ami hopefully. "Dear, generous, benevolent, giving, selfless Ami-san, you wouldn't happen to be willing to share some answers, would you?"

"No, I wouldn't," said Ami, not looking up from her textbook.

Motoki leaned over and scooped up a bit of the shepherd's pie from Asanuma's tray with a spoon. "I know how you feel, Usa-chan. 'Numa uses me for free food, too." He offered her the loaded spoon. "Here, would you like the honors?"

"Nah, I think your aim's probably way better than mine." Serena grinned and watched Motoki bend the spoon handle backward. An atypical silence reigned over the table as Motoki released the spoon and sent the glob of shepherd's pie soaring through the air and onto an unsuspecting Asanuma.

Ignoring Asanuma's subsequent shout of surprise, Serena turned to look up at Darien. "What?" she asked disbelievingly. "No agreement of how horrible my aim is?" She lifted a hand, pushing back his dark shock of bangs so that she could feel his forehead.

"You don't feel hot…" She leaned back and raked mischievous eyes across him. "And you definitely don't _look_ hot…"

Darien smiled back at her indulgently, and she settled back in her seat, feeling faintly annoyed. _Calm down, Sere. Don't **you** be the one to break the truce, after all that ranting you did this morning._ "Seriously, why didn't you say anything? That was, like, the perfect opening for an insult."

Darien seemed baffled. His eyes settled on hers hesitantly, like a pair of butterflies alighting on a potentially dangerous flower. She noticed the bags under his eyes, mirroring her own dark smudges, and wondered fleetingly what girl would have considered Darien unworthy of her affections. Four out of every five females on the Juuban district idolized him.

"Well – didn't we agree this morning to stop being mean to each other?"

"Oh, yeah…right." Serena smiled lopsidedly to hide her inner chagrin. _And you just made a crack about his looks! Yet another example of how horrible a friend I am_, she thought guiltily. "Um – sorry about that, you know, 'not hot' comment."

"What?" Darien blinked, then laughed a little. "No, that was funny, not mean."

"Oh…okay." Serena floundered about a moment for a new topic. All lunch had been awkward conversational dead-ends like this, ever since he had plopped down at her and Ami's table… "Hey, you, uh, don't think the principal will make us foot his hospital bill, do you? After all, it was us who made him have the heart attack…" She giggled a little, then felt a surge of self-condemnation. _Serena, how could you make light of someone's pain like that?_

"Nah…" Darien replied absently. Through her own flustered state, she noticed that he was focused on something behind her, and she twisted around to see what it was.

_Oh man…Seiko…_ Serena's shoulders slumped, and she unconsciously leaned backwards in her seat a little. She felt her odangoes brush against something, and flinched forward quickly as she realized that it had been Darien's chin.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"No, that's okay…" Darien shook his head to clear it of the images of Sailor Moon that had drifted into it. Serena's hair was ultra-soft like the superheroes – or maybe all girls had hair that soft. It wasn't as though he had enough experience with girls to know.

"Um…" he coughed, trying to force the words he needed to say out of his throat. Asanuma had said that Seiko talked to the Odan – Serena a lot. Maybe Serena would want to talk to him without anyone sticking their nose into the conversation. Or maybe – his lips pressed together – it was Seiko she had been talking about on the bleachers that morning, and she wouldn't want to talk to him. _Only one way to find out. _"Um, Serena, do you want us to leave? So you can talk to Seiko?"

"What?" said Serena, a little too quickly. Too quickly for what, he wasn't sure. "No, of course not. You don't heave to leave!"

"I know, but if you want us to – "

"Serena-chan!" Seiko had reached the table. He leaned an elbow casually on the empty chair next to Serena. "Do you need any help on that Geometry? I heard you were having trouble with it…"

Darien watched Serena fidget in her chair. Seiko, from his vantage point standing close to her, couldn't see it, but Darien saw that Serena's fingers were plucking nervously at the pleated fabric of her school skirt.

"Um, actually, I think I'm doing pretty good," he heard her say. "Thank you anyways, Seiko, I really appreciate it."

"Any time." Seiko flashed Serena a dazzling, if ineffectual, grin. He glanced at Darien, Asanuma, and Motoki in turn, then back at Darien again. "Hey, guys."

"Yo." Asanuma lifted a fork in greeting, then returned to his Jello-O. Darien was not fooled by the nonchalant gesture; he noticed the tense curve of Asanuma's back beneath his blazer. For all his comic relief, the dark-haired trickster held no love for Seiko.

Motoki donned his usual Arcade grin. "What's up?" he said affably.

Ami glanced up from her chemistry book. "Seiko-san," she said abruptly, eyes glimmering with a manic light Darien instinctively felt afraid of. "How many spikes are there on your head?"

"Spikes?" Seiko reached up self-consciously to finger the crown of gelled spikes poking up from his scalp. Darien would never admit it, but he held a secret envy of Seiko's ability to control his hair so easily. His own was always in chaotic disarray. "I – uh – don't know."

"Ami-chan – " Serena began, but it was too late. Ami leapt up, like a panther on the prowl, and locked her arm in a half-nelson around Seiko's neck. She then began to drag him off towards the exit, muttering about tallying porcupine quills in proper light.

Serena let out a small sigh. "I should go after them."

"No, Oda – Serena, they'll be fine." Darien tilted his head towards the clock on the wall. "Look, the bell's about to ring anyways. If you went after them now, you'd be late to Study Hall."

"Yeah, but – "

"Aw, Usa, they'll be fine." Motoki backed Darien as he emptied his tray in the trash can. "Seiko's a big boy."

"And Ami's a pretty fast counter," added Asanuma, also rising with his tray. "Seiko shouldn't be _too _late to class. You and Darien just run off like good little children and don't be too bad for Miss Lanai in detention today, or she'll beam you up to the mothership!"

_Oh, yeah,_ thought Serena as she walked down with Darien out into the sunny courtyard, and then into the dimmer, empty hallways of the 800's building. _I forgot we had detention again today…maybe it'll be better today, since me and Darien aren't fighting…but I don't know if I like **not** fighting with him any more than when we **were** fighting, everything's so awkward now…_

"You don't have to feel bad about not returning his feelings, you know."

Serena's head jerked up at Darien's quiet words, a smile automatically curving her lips. It slowly faded as his words sank in. "Wh…What?"

"Seiko," Darien clarified, pausing outside the door of their study hall classroom. Funny, how tall he seemed suddenly, with his hand on the doorknob like that and his back to her as he spoke. "It's like with Coach and joining the teams. You shouldn't force yourself to do something you don't want to just for someone else's happiness. It's okay to put yourself first sometimes."

He paused and she watched as his knuckles whitened around the doorknob.

"Besides…unrequited love is an inevitable learning experience."

A long, quiet moment passed, Darien with his back to Serena, staring through space and time into his own private world of pain, and Serena with her eyes downcast guiltily on the floor, trying not to think about hers.

Then a student shuffled into the hallway with her friend and began gabbing as she twirled her locker combination into her lock – the spell was broken. Darien turned the knob and pulled the door open. Serena followed him inside the classroom. Her eyes were still focused on her own faltering feet so that she did not see the crumpled metal of the doorknob, compressed in the shape of clenched fingers.

* * *

"You were lying, weren't you?" said Darien a few minutes later. All the class had entered and were now slouched complacently in their desks, poring over history notes or bobbing their heads in time to their earphones.

Serena looked up from her geometry book. Her stomach knotted as she ran quickly through all of her conversations with Darien in which she might have lied – it was an occupation she had become shamefully proficient at in the past few months – but could come up with nothing. "When?"

A small grin touched Darien's lips, something that reassured her to no end despite the fact that she still didn't know what he was talking about. At least that grin meant that his mood from the hallways seemed to have vanished.

"When Seiko asked if you needed help with Geometry, and you said no. You were lying, weren't you?"

Serena glanced down at her eraser-smeared paper and then back at Darien. "Maybe," she admitted.

Darien's grin widened. _This _was something he could help Serena with. Something he could do to start redeeming himself. "Do you want help now?"

"I wouldn't want to impose," began Serena, but Darien picked up a pen and pulled her worksheet towards him. Serena froze for a moment, transfixed by the peculiar way Darien's fingers curled about the writing utensil, then shook herself out of it and leaned towards Darien so she could see the worksheet.

"Okay," said Darien. "Which one are you having trouble with?"

"Which _one_?" echoed Serena with a sarcastic snort, a bit of her usual fire returning as she glared down at the loathed numbers. "Oh, I love them all far too much to choose just one."

"Translation: all of them," Darien interpreted, quirking an eyebrow. "That's okay. Let's start on number one – see that mark right there? That means this line is congruent to that one. And this line is congruent to this one. And look, each of these triangles has a right angle. Got it?"

Serena nodded, face tense with concentration as she scowled belligerently down at the triangles. "Yeah. "

"Okay. So what do both of these right angles have on either side?"

"Um…" Serena's brow furrowed; she chewed on her pencil a moment. "Congruent sides?"

"Right! So what kind of congruence postulate are these two triangles going to use?"

"Congruence postulates?"

"Yeah – these ones." Darien flipped back a page in her book and tapped it with his pen. "SSS, SAS, ASA – "

"ASS?" injected Serena with a grin.

Darien rolled his eyes, though a small smile curved his lips. "Like I've never heard_ that_ one before," he muttered. (A/N: Any of you who have had Geometry, you know what I'm talking about.)

Serena made a face at him. "Well, excuse me for living, Your Majesty."

Darien's eyes widened, and he grabbed her wrists. "No – wait – Serena – I didn't mean it – "

Serena frowned and pried his fingers from her arm. "What are you talking about? I'm not mad."

"Oh." Darien let go of her hand and rubbed his neck sheepishly. "I thought – I mean – oh, never mind. Here, what congruence postulate would you use to prove these two triangles are congruent?"

"Um…SAS?"

* * *

"So, heard the two of you were sitting pretty close in study hall today." Asanuma elbowed Darien in the ribs.

Darien scowled. "What do you do, follow me around all day to see what I do with Serena? That's called stalking, you know. I could have you arrested – "

"Pfft." Asanuma snorted. "As if _I _have the time to waste following you around campus, Mr. Boring. No, I just have Melvin do it. He's always following you two around anyways because he wants to be the first one to know when you guys start going out."

"He's gonna be waiting a long time."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Asanuma waved his hand around dismissively. "Like I haven't heard that one before. Man, how about the nerve of that Seiko guy, huh? Trying to move in on your girl while you were right there? You shoulda punched his jaw in, man, that's what I would've done."

"She's not my girl, Asanuma."

"Suuuuuuure…"

"Asanuma…"

Asanuma held up his hands. "Hey, all I'm saying is, she better be your girl by – " he checked his wrist watch. " – five o'clock this afternoon, or I'm out twenty bucks."

* * *

"Ah! You are 'ere! _Bien!_" Miss Lanai yanked them in and slammed the door behind them. "Sit, sit! Just like yesterday!"

Serena eyed the couch dubiously as Darien walked over and sat down. "Do we…have to?"

"Matin, Matin," sighed Miss Lanai. "I though zat you 'ad gotten over zis bashfulness yesterday. I told you, I 'ave seen senior citizens making out on ze metro. A young zing like you sitting on 'ot Boy's lap is nozzing."

"Yes, but – "

"Matin, Matin, Matin." Miss Lanai shook her head, her braid swinging back and forth, and pointed at the star-shaped clock hanging on the wall. "Time is flying, and ze two of you are absolutely not leaving until I finish at least 'alf of ze painting."

Relenting, Serena went over and gingerly sat on Darien's lap. Her shoulders reflexively curved in around herself, and she timidly put her hands in the same position they had been yesterday.

"Is somezing wrong, Matin?" inquired Miss Lanai after a few minutes of silence had passed by. "You seem quiet."

Serena shook her head. "I'm okay."

"Why don't you tell me more about zese guardians of Tokyo," suggested Miss Lanai, eyes gleaming behind her spectacles. "Zese, zese, euh, Sailor Sushi, as you call zem."

"Sailor Senshi," corrected Serena, perking up a little. "They're these teenage girls who fight off all the youma who attack the town."

"Really?" Miss Lanai's hand quickened, trying to capture as much of Serena's recovered vivacity before it faded again. "What do zey look like?"

"Um, they kind of wear school uniforms…with the bows and the collars and stuff…" Serena frowned, trying to be as specific as possible without totally giving herself away. "And…Sailor Moon wears boots…"

"And a really short skirt," Darien supplied absently.

Her head jerked up to look at him sharply. He must have felt the sudden tenseness of her body because he glanced down at her with lifted eyebrows above somewhat surprised eyes. It was as though he couldn't believe what he had just said. Neither could she. But realizing that it wasn't so suspicious that he knew what Sailor Moon looked like – the Senshi were, after all, quite infamous in Tokyo – she relaxed again.

"Short skirt, mm?" mused Miss Lanai. "As in a 'oochie skirt, you mean? I thought that this girl was a 'ero, not a 'ooker!"

"She's not!" exclaimed Serena and Darien at the same time. Both blushed madly.

"You go first," said Darien to Serena.

"No, it's okay," insisted Serena, still mortified. "You go."

"No, you. It's only polite."

"No, really – "

"Ladies first – "

Serena smiled, remembering the last time he had said that. "In that case, go right on ahead – oh!" She clapped a hand over her mouth. _I did it again!_ "Darien, I'm sorr – "

But Darien was just laughing. Eventually, he stopped, and said, "I was just going to say that the Senshi are definitely not hookers. But they do wear really, really short skirts."

Serena flushed again. This was actually _her _that Darien was talking about, after all. Without thinking, she blurted out, "Oh, come on, they're not _that_ short…are they?"

Darien shrugged, a small smile curving his lips. "Let's just say they don't leave much to the imagination."

_Oh God._ _Maybe that's why Tuxedo Mask was mad? Because he thought I was dressed like a hooker? But, no – I've always worn that and he's never gotten mad before…_

The rest of conversation was uneventful – even boring. After the embarrassing exchange concerning the length of the Senshi's skirts, conversation dried up, and Miss Lanai seemed content to let the room stay quiet. Serena felt jumpy, ashamed, and bored. She wished that Darien would say something, anything, even insult her, so that they would at least be talking, but his only words were to ask if she wanted a piece of gum – which made her feel even more anxious…did that mean her breath was on the opposite end of the spectrum from minty fresh?

All in all, it was a nerve-wracking hour, and she was glad to be released by Miss Lanai.

"Tomorrow is Friday, _n'est-ce pas_?" said Miss Lanai as she walked them to the door. As she leaned past Serena to lock the door, her collar dipped a little, and Serena caught a brief glimpse of a sparkling gem hanging from a chain necklace. Before she could ask about it, the teacher bade them goodbye and headed briskly down the hall towards the faculty parking lot.

Serena and Darien started in the opposite way. As they neared the end of the hallway, Serena could see a stream of students pouring out of the regular detention hall – the one that she and Darien would be in were it not for Miss Lanai. She was surprised to see the person least likely to have gotten a detention – after Darien, of course – walking out: Seiko.

Suppressing a groan, Serena edged closer to Darien, intending to hide behind him. Before she could finish the movement, however, Seiko's eyes flicked toward the ebony-haired eleventh-grader, and then caught sight of Serena beside him.

"Serena!" he shouted.

Every head in the hallways swiveled towards her. Serena stifled another groan of annoyance and gave up trying to hide, stepping away from Darien.

"Hi, Seiko."

"Where were you?" Seiko asked, jogging towards them. He stopped in front of Serena, throwing a searching glance past her at Darien. Darien returned his gaze squarely, then moved to his locker, which was conveniently located only a couple of feet away. "I was looking for you after lunch, but I couldn't find you…" He frowned sheepishly. "I was late for class, and I got detention. I didn't see you in there, either – aren't you and Darien supposed to have detention all this week?"

"Um, yeah, but we have it with Miss Lanai," said Serena, shifting rather guiltily. "I'm really sorry you were late because of me, Seiko…"

"Aw, it's no big deal!" Seiko flashed a sudden huge grin. "I've got the perfect way for you to make it up to me!"

"You…do?"

"Me and my brother were gonna go to the movie this weekend, but he found out he's got to stay at school to direct a physics lab, so he can't come. He didn't want me to waste the ticket, so do you wanna come?"

"I…"

"Please? Since you _did_ make me late for class…"

That extra load of guilt cinched it. Serena gulped and nodded. "Of course."

"Great!" Seiko grabbed her hand and squeezed it warmly. "I'll see you at the theater on Saturday? The movie starts at two, so we can meet at quarter till – or we could got to lunch first, if you want – "

"Um – actually, my mom's making me clean my room this weekend, so I'll have to skip lunch," said Serena hastily. "But, um, yeah, I'll see you there."

"Awesome!" Seiko flashed her another grin, then jerked his head towards the entrance. "Want a ride home?"

"No thanks – I'm meeting my friend at the arcade, it's not far. Thanks, though! See you tomorrow!" She waved as he vanished from sight down the stairs, then sighed and slumped against the lockers. _How do I get myself into these things? Stupid Serena. Stupid, stupid, stupid._

"I didn't know you were meeting Ami and Rei at the arcade."

Serena looked up. Darien was smiling at her. The smile seemed rather artificial and forced to her. Her heart sank. She knew it. She had just _known_ it. He didn't really want her as a friend. He was just forcing himself to be nice to her.

"I'm not," she heard herself say. She sounded miserable even to her own ears. "I was lying. I'm not meeting anyone at the arcade. I'm just going by myself."

"Well, Motoki's there," pointed out Darien. "And he's your friend, so technically, you weren't really lying."

"Thanks, Darien."

Darien wanted to add, _And I'm going to the arcade, too,_ but he didn't want to be forward. He didn't want to push it. How could he say to her face that he was her friend after all the things he had done to her? He wouldn't be that brazen. He would just stand in the background. And he most emphatically would _not _comment on the whole Seiko matter. It was her own choice – if she went to the movies with him, that was her own decision. Even though it was blatantly obvious that Seiko had used the guilt trip on her.

* * *

A/N: Eh. Another so-so chapter. Wha'd you guys think about the way I started the chapter, with the diary entry of some random freshman in the cafeteria? Yucky? I can change it.

As always, tell me what you didn't like. I need lots of advice. Or, if you're one of those wonderful people who tell me there's nothing that needs to be changed, tell me what you did like and why.

Also – thank you SO MUCH to all you reviewers. **Meg-chan,** I hope your gram's okay, and **Serenity-hime,** your reviews are ALWAYS great. **Jojodacrow,** you have no idea how much your review meant, I've been needing that reassurance. **Hanyoukai,** you kinda scared me, but I'm glad you like the story. **Eternalsailorcosmo**, don't worry, Venus and Jupiter ARE on the way, just very slowly, and you totally read my mind on the whole Ball thing. I've had a plan for it since I first started the series, so keep faith, it WILL be forthcoming. **Sumiko Kenchi Haimoto,** I am TOTALLY looking forward to the romance and "YOU'RE Sailor Moon!" scene too! They're coming, they're coming. **Rainkisser**, your review made me feel really good inside – thanks!


	13. At the Movies

A/N: My stars, Kimra-san, I love you. I love youloveyouloveyouLOVEYOU! Your review was so SWEEEEEEET! (EightofSwords sniffs and dabs eyes with hankerchief) I've read most of your SM stories and loved every single one of 'em – you're on my list as, like, one of the veteran writers of Sailor Moon, along with Alicia Blade and Lilac Summer and ChibiCori and Princess Destiny and all them, so the first time I got a review from you, I was like, "WOW!" Your review REALLY meant a lot; thanks.

This is a bit of a filler chapter, y'all – some stuff had to be set up, and it was a long week, so there's not much action.

Disclaimer: My brain cells are too fried by studying geometry formulas to come up with something witty. I need mush, STAT, so let's be short – I don't own Sailor Moon.

L

Subject to Change

L

"He's got guts, I'll say that for him." Darien's fingers tightened around the mug of coffee he'd ordered from Motoki. Somehow, he just wasn't in the mood for the sweet taste of soda right then. "Rotten, slimy guts that I'd like to tear out of his abdomen and knot around his throat, but guts nonetheless."

"I can't believe it." Motoki shook his head, leaning on one elbow on the counter. "He's got some nerve. I mean, how could _any_ guy be that low? Giving Usa-chan the guilt trip like that – she takes that stuff seriously!"

"Of course she does," said Darien darkly, throwing back a gulp of the steaming stimulant in front of him. "Innocent, naive Odango – he knows that she's susceptible to stuff like that, and that's exactly why he did it."

"Since he can't get her to have anything to do with him any other way," put in Asanuma sourly from behind his own cup of java. His nose wrinkled wrathfully. "Smelly little skunk."

"This has got you really riled up, 'Numa," said Motoki in mild surprise. "I know you're worried about Serena, but – is there something else bothering you?"

Asanuma scowled more deeply. "Nothing," he said, voice muffled behind his mug. "I just don't like Seiko, that's all."

Darien eyed him speculatively. "Would you like to elaborate?"

"No."

Motoki rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Asanuma, stop being such a drama queen. One Darien's enough."

"Hey!"

"It's nothing," said Asanuma more forcefully, ignoring Darien's protest. "Now, shouldn't we be coming up with a plan to get back at Seiko?"

Darien lifted an eyebrow. "Who said anything about getting back at Seiko?"

"Darien's right, 'Numa." Motoki took Darien empty mug and tossed it over his shoulder into the sink. "We don't wanna get in any trouble, we just want to help Usa get outta this."

"That's not what I meant," interrupted Darien, frowning. He leaned forward, placing his palms flat on the counter. "We're not doing _anything_ about this, guys."

"What!" Asanuma leapt up. "What are you talking about? You wanna just sit back and let Seiko yank Serena-chan around like some puppy on a leash?"

"I gotta side with Numa on this one, Dare," added Motoki, eyebrows knit as he stared with confusion at the dark-haired junior. "Any guy who can make Usa sad enough that she abandons one of _my_ infamous raspberry-fudge shakes is _not_ someone I'm gonna trust to take her to the movies." He was referring to a few minutes earlier, when Serena had left the arcade without finishing her favorite chocolatey concoction.

"I can't believe you're letting a basketball player take her to the movies. Especially _Seiko_," spat out Asanuma. "They date cheerleaders, you know what sort of stuff they expect. You're an idiot!"

"What was I supposed to do?" retorted Darien. "Jump between them and say, 'No, Serena, you can't go?' We all know what _that _would have looked like."

"It would have looked like you _liked_ her," snapped Asanuma. "Which you _do_!"

"Even if I _did_ like Serena," continued Darien calmly, speaking to Motoki and ignoring Asanuma, "it's not any of my business anyways. Maybe she _wanted_ to go to the movies with him. I don't know if she did or not – I don't care if she did or not. But for all I know, she could have just been playing hard to get or something."

"Yeah, Reika did that to me lot," admitted Motoki, rubbing his forehead. "But I just can't picture Usa being that crafty…"

"I can't BELIEVE you're just sitting here and doing nothing!" exploded Asanuma, leaping up and grabbing Darien by the shirt collar. "That low-down, good-for-nothing, manipulative, HENTAI is trying to steal YOUR girl! You're just gonna sit by and watch him take advantage of Serena!"

Darien looked down at Asanuma with something akin to amusement in his dark blue eyes. "You're being melodramatic again, Asanuma. Sure, Seiko's a basketball player, but everyone knows he's never dated any cheerleaders. He's been too gaga over the Odango. And he's been after her for too long to do something that might scare her off."

"Darien's got a point," Motoki agreed. "And Seiko _is _an honors student…isn't there like, some law against honors students doing – well, you know… running the bases?"

Darien, lapels still in Asanuma's grip, buried his face in his hands. "I can't believe we're having this conversation," he muttered.

"_I _can't believe you're being so cavalier about this!" Asanuma grumbled. "This is SERENA we're talking about! Whether Seiko tries anything or not, the fact still remains that he was being a jerk by guilting her into the movies with him!"

Darien straightened, prying Asanuma's fingers from his blazer. "That's true," he said thoughtfully, eyes narrowing a bit. He stood. "Fine. What do you propose we do, Asanuma?"

L

_Saturday morning:_

"Wait…so tell me again why you can't come to a Senshi meeting this afternoon?"

Serena slumped against the wall, twirling the telephone cord around her finger and heaving a sigh. "_Because_, Rei. I have to go to the movies."

"So what you're saying is that going to the movies is more important than finding the princess and the crystal?" Unfortunately, Rei's voice lost none of its edge over the phone. "I'm sure Luna would love to hear that."

Serena sighed again, the sound turning into a yawn. It was eleven o'clock, WAY too early for anyone to be up on a Saturday. "That's not what I mean, and you know it, Rei. Believe me, I wish I could get out of it, but it's kind of an obligation…"

"Some obligation." Rei snorted. "Wish I had obligations like that."

Serena bit her lip. "Hey, I've gotta go, okay? I need to take a shower and get dressed."

"Of course," said Rei, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "Have fun at your _obligation_, Odango-brains."

_Click._

Serena shuffled to the bathroom with a towel and an armful of hair-care products. She emerged half an hour later, wrapped in a towel, with a sheet of wet hair slapping heavily against the backs of her legs as she retreated into her room.

"Stupid hair," she muttered, staring at the ridiculously long golden tresses in the mirror. Usually, she luxuriated in the lengthy task of combing out her hair, but at the moment, she was dreading the arduous, time-consuming task. She just wanted to flop back down in bed and sleep till doomsday. Or better yet, go back in time to way before any of this, before she had become Sailor Moon, before she had become a sleep-deprived high school flunkie, before she had met Rei…

Serena flushed and shook her head. Here came those horrible, uncharitable thoughts again. She had to keep them away. Rei and Ami were her friends. As was Luna. They all wanted the best for her –

_No, they want the best for the princess_, corrected a voice inside her mind.

Serena's face trembled a moment, then she pursed her lisp resolutely and spoke to her reflection, "That's because what's best for me _is_ to find the princess. The princess being safe will be best for everyone. Once we find her, everything will be able to go back to normal…"

_I think you're just saying that because you know that if you can't count on Ami and Rei, there's no one you can count on._

Serena quailed at this. The voice twisted itself into her psyche like a key unlocking that inner recess of her mind where all of her fears and doubts had been imprisoned.

_You don't like change, do you? Change is bad. Change made you Sailor Moon. Change made you drift away from Molly. _

It was true. She and Molly had once been inseparable – "joined at the hip," Serena's mother used to joke. But since she had become a Sailor Senshi, nearly the only times Serena conversed with Molly were in notes passed furtively during math class. Unable to prevent this inevitable rift, she had tried to console herself with the thought that heroes had to make sacrifices to protect the world. But it was an empty consolation, especially since the last thing Serena ever felt like was a hero…

_Change brought Ami and Rei…but it took them away, too, didn't it?_

She had been so happy when Rei and Ami arrived on the scene. Their appearance meant that she would be able to have friends after all, people to share happiness and sorrow and secrets with – but then they had drifted away, too. They had become different – or maybe they had always been different. Either way, Ami now spent all her time counting cracks, disinfecting things, obsessing over classes, and Rei prowled about on the hunt for flammable objects to set afire and spent the rest of her time torturing Chad – neither one had time to talk to Serena unless it was for Senshi business.

_Remember Tuxedo Mask? He changed, too…_

The Negaverse was hot on the trail of the princess and the crystal while the Senshi still hadn't the foggiest idea as to the whereabouts of either. Ami and Rei's once-amazing fighting skills had dwindled until now they were little more than extra target to distract the youmas in battles. Luna was on her back day and night, yowling at her to do her homework, to look for the princess, to find the crystal, to practice her fighting moves, to help her mother with chores, to stop eating so much, to wake up earlier, to stop getting detention, to stop fighting with Rei, to be more responsible – on and on and on until Serena thought her head would explode. There was too much stress, too much stress, and nothing to relieve it – Tuxedo Mask had once been the only bright spot on the horizon, and now he was extinguished, too, for Luna had forbidden her to speak with him ever again. But it didn't matter, anyways, because he was angry with her for some reason…

And his anger frightened her, so that now he haunted her nightmares and not her daydreams.

_Change ruined **everything**. It made you depend on **Darien** for company…_

Darien…even _he_ wasn't the same anymore…

_He isn't, is he? Something happened. You used to be able to believe that he liked you as a person, but now…_

She had been floating about. Spending time with Ami and Rei when they weren't otherwise occupied, passing notes to Molly when she wasn't busy writing love letters to Melvin, and the rest of the time, just talking to whoever happened to be there at the moment. And Darien, Serena realized, was the one who usually happened to be there. Darien _was_ the one she had come to depend on to be dependable – no matter what, Darien would be there to tug on her pigtails, to insult her, to make her mad, to make her laugh, to make her sad. He was always _there_, always _himself_, always indubitably and irrefutably _Darien, _arrogant and condescending and witty and infuriating. He had always been the same, and she had begun to take it for granted that he always would be.

_But now, something's changed, hasn't it? He never teases you anymore. Never calls you Odango Atama._

Something _had _changed. Darien wasn't the same Darien. It was visible in the way he hesitated before speaking, in the way he was careful not to invade her space, in the way he didn't glare at her anymore, but only smiled gently. It was audible in the way his voice never held cutting edges anymore, only worn and weary tones, in the way he was careful never to raise his voice, in the way he never insulted her anymore.

_Does he not feel comfortable with you anymore? Or maybe he never felt comfortable with you in the first place._

She didn't know. She didn't know the answer to any of these questions. All she knew was that Darien – who she had always been able to count on to set her temper on fire when she herself felt like she was drowning, who she could always win an insult battle against even if she had lost to a youma the night before – wasn't who he used to be.

_The world seems a whole lot scarier now, doesn't it? When you realize that there's nothing in your life that isn't subject to change. Doesn't it scare you –_

"SERENA!"

Serena gasped and caught her breath, tearing her eyes away from the mirror.

"M – Mom?" she called shakily, stumbling to her door and opening it a crack.

"Serena, honey, it's already quarter till! Don't you need to be going?" Her mother peered up at her from the foot of the stairs, a laundry basket balanced on one hip.

Serena took a double-take at her alarm clock. "Oh my god!" she shrieked, slamming the door shut and leaping back to her dresser to snatch up her comb. "It is! I'm supposed to be meeting Seiko RIGHT NOW!" It would take her at least ten minutes to run to the movie theater – and that was in super-speedy-Serena mode.

It took her five minutes to twist her hair into her customary buns, and by then, she was out of time. "No time to dress, no time to dress," she panted frantically, almost in tears, tearing through her closet. "I don't know what to wear!"

She ripped her school uniform off its hanger and threw it onto the floor behind her. She heard a clunk as it hit the floor, and the sound of something heavy rolling across the wood. She glanced over her shoulder.

"YES!" Serena pounced on the pink pen that had fallen out of her pocket. _Luna won't be happy with me for using it like this…but I'm really in a bind…and what Luna doesn't know, Luna can't get mad about, right?_ She thrust the rod into the air with one hand, clutching her towel around her with the other. "LUNA PEN, DRESS ME IN SOME STYLISH WEEKENDWEAR!"

Pink light exploded behind her eyelids and then faded. Serena only had time to glance in the mirror to make sure she wasn't clad in just a leather thong – it wouldn't be the first time it happened. The Luna Pen could _definitely_ use a V-chip – before she hot-footed out of the house.

L

"I can't believe I let you two drag me into doing this," grumbled Darien, yanking the brim of his baseball cap lower over his eyes. If anyone saw him (especially Seiko or Serena), his reputation was toast. "This is degradingly low even for you, Asanuma."

"Aw, quit yer yappin," said Asanuma affably. He lifted a pair of binoculars to his eyeballs and leaned forward in his seat, surveying the rows of people that sat in the half-full theater before them. He lifted a walkie-talkie to his mouth. "Shake-boy, this is Eye-candy. So sign of the Dumpling yet, over."

"Roger that, Eye-Candy," crackled Motoki's voice. "You've still got Man-Flesh with you?"

Asanuma glanced over at Darien – who was currently holding a bag of popcorn on front of his face to avoid being seen by a group of giggling girls parading down the aisle – and snickered. "Oh, yeah, he's here, but I'm not sure how long he'll last. I might have to handcuff him to the seat."

"Better you than me," replied Motoki from the other side of Darien. "Over."

Darien exploded, throwing the popcorn into the air with one hand and ripping the walkie-talkie out of Asanuma's hand with the other. "Hello! You guys are sitting two feet away from each other!" He glared at Asanuma, then at Motoki, who was in the seat on his other side. "If you're gonna use these stupid things, at least go sit somewhere else so I don't have to put up with you!"

Motoki grinned at Asanuma and spoke into his walkie-talkie. "No can do, Man-flesh. We have to stay with you at all times to make sure you don't give us the slip."

"AAARGH!" Darien flung the walkie-talkie back into Asanuma's lap. "I give up!"

"Calm down, Dare-bear, don't give yourself an aneurysm." Asanuma tapped Darien 's head with the walkie-talkie antenna. "Hey, why'd you have to go and throw the popcorn all over, huh? I had diabolical plans for that stuff!"

"You mean, your stomach had diabolical plans for it," corrected Motoki.

"Noooooooo….not _all_ of it…"

"What _were_ you planning to do with it, then?"

"If you buy me another bag and wait until Seiko starts to get frisky, I'll show you."

"I don't think I wanna know," Darien sighed, slouching down lower in his seat. He _really_ wished now that he hadn't been so rash with the popcorn; now those girls were glancing back at him over their shoulder and giggling, and he had no bag to hide behind. "Well, I'm sure as heck not going back out there where anyone could see me."

"_I_'ll do it," said Motoki in a long-suffering tone of voice, getting to his feet. He took the money Darien handed him and wove through the aisles to the exit door.

Darien glanced at his watch. "Are you sure we're at the right movie?" he asked. "It's about to start any moment, but Seiko hasn't showed up yet, and neither has Serena."

"Darien, are you doubting the verity of my information-gathering capabilities?" Asanuma placed a hand over his heart and looked hurt. "Your spear stabs deep, my friend."

"Asanuma, you're acting like the first syllable of your name again…"

"Fine, fine, fine!" Asanuma scowled. "Curse my mother's baby name book… no, I'm _positive_ this is the film they're going to see. I have it on very good authority that their film starts at two, and this is the only film in the complex with a two o'clock start time."

"What movie _is _this, anyway?" asked Darien idly, propping his legs up on the empty seat in front of him. "You never told me."

"Aw, some slasher flick or something," answered Asanuma absently. "I dunno, really, I just saw that it was PG-13, so I didn't have to break out my fake ID cards." He grinned.

Darien missed the joke; he was still frowning over Asanuma's first words. "A slasher flick?"

"That's what I said, old man." Asanuma rolled his eyes. "Get a hearing aide."

"Serena _hates_ horror films."

"Yeah, so do most girls, that's why guys like to take them so that they can be all like, _Aw, it's okay_ and comfort 'em and stuff – " Asanuma paused and looked at Darien. "Hang on, you don't think – oh!" Asanuma pounded the armrest furiously. "That _jerk_!"

"Calm down." Darien's voice was clipped. "Getting angry isn't going to do anything."

"Maybe not, but neither is sitting here likes a couple of doofuses." Asanuma stood up and began to climb across the rows of seats towards the doors.

Darien grabbed him by the collar. "_Stop_ it! You're not going to accomplish anything but getting thrown out of the theater like that. We don't even _know_ that Seiko's planning anything, maybe he just really enjoys watching blood and guts."

"_Serena _doesn't, though."

"Serena's a big girl," said Darien firmly. "She can take care of herself as far as blood and guts go. She knows how to stand up and walk into the lobby if she doesn't like it."

Asanuma wrenched out of Darien's grip. "What are we even here for, then? If we're not gonna do anything – "

"If Seiko makes move on her that she clearly doesn't like, then we'll interfere," answered Darien calmly. "But otherwise, this is _none_ of our business."

Asanuma chewed on his lip for a minute, regarding Darien. At last, he said, "You're gonna lose her if you keep sitting back like this, you know."

Darien snorted. "So I've heard multiple times. It's a good thing I don't like her, then, isn't it?"

Asanuma shook his head. "You're gonna regret it, Dare, I'm not kidding – you find that person, you can't let 'em go. Cause they don't come back." Asanuma's eyes hazed over slightly. "They don't come back, man. Not the same."

Darien gripped Asanuma's shoulder concernedly. "Hey. Is there something that you, you know, wanna talk about?" He flashed a smirk. 'We could go to the arcade and Motoki could psycho-analyze you over a shake and a burger."

Asanuam recollected himself. "No. Nah, I'm good. Just spaced out a second. Hey, here comes Toki – Toki! Be careful with those drinks, man!" He bounded over to help their friend with the overflowing tray of concessions he balanced.

"How do I always end up carrying around the food?" asked Motoki, shaking his head. "Do I have some stamp on my forehead that says, _Load me up, I'm a waiter_?"

"Hey, don't complain, dude. Chicks love a guy in an apron." Asanuma snagged a platter of nachos and poured the container of melted cheese straight into his mouth. Darien grimaced at him and received a grin in return. "Kiss the cook and all that – hey, you guys'll give me the Heimlich if I choke, right?"

"At this point, I'd rather let you suffocate," grunted Motoki, disgruntled.

"You're so mean, Motoki." Asanuma pretended to pout. "What about CPR? You'd give me CPR, right? I mean, look at these luscious lips – "

"Whoah, whoah, WHOAH!" Darien exclaimed, throwing out his hands. "Red light!"

"Why, yes, I am employed in the red district – "

"STOP! STOP!" Darien clapped his hands over his ears. "I'm too innocent for this! Stop violating my virgin ears!"

"Oh, please – virgin ears? With all those college girls after you?" Asanuma snorted. "Please."

"Hey, where'd the cheese go?" Motoki lifted a soda, then the popcorn. "Asanuma, did you eat it all again?"

"Nooooooo…."

"Liar!"

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are TOO!"

"Would you two stop flirting and shut up?"

"Darien!" Motoki yelped. "I have a GIRLFRIEND!"

"All the more reason you should be ashamed of yourself for flirting with Asanuma." Darien shook his head reproachfully. "I'm telling Reikaaaaaaaaaa…."

Asanuma looked at Motoki. "Darien's really annoying when he's trying to be funny."

"But you're annoying twenty-four seven," retorted Darien. "And I don't _try _to be funny, I _am _funny."

"Sure, funny-looking." Asanuma and Motoki dissolved into snickers. Darien rolled his eyes but smiled, then something caught his eye.

"Hey! It's the Odango!"

Immediately, Asanuma and Motoki quit laughing and pulled on their disguises – a pair of wraparound sunglasses for Motoki and a long, curly black girl wig for Asanuma, who swore it had belonged to his mom in her salad days (Darien and Motoki weren't buying) – then leaned back nonchalantly in their seats to watch Serena and Seiko find their seats.

Motoki whistled. "Whoah, check out Usa."

Asanuma nodded in wholehearted agreement, making his wig bounce. "I've never seen her wear a skirt that short before. Those are some looooong legs for a Pygmy like her."

Darien threw them both a glare. "Now I see the real motive behind you two coming to stalk Serena. You just wanted to check her out, didn't you? Despicable."

"Oh, please, Dare-Bear, you can't pretend you can't appreciate how nice Dumpling looks."

Darien glowered. "Don't call me Dare-Bear…" But it was true. He _had _noticed the length of Serena's pleated grey skirt – almost as short as Sailor Moon's fuku. Her shirt was nothing to sneeze at, either, a pearly-colored, high-collared, Chinese-styled top that smoothly conformed to Serena's slender naturally slender arms and neck instead of making her look like a scarecrow. But he wasn't about to admit to any of that – not that it meant anything, anyways. Anyone was capable of feeling physical attraction; noticing someone looked nice was no big deal. Asanuma and Motoki would try to make it a big deal, though, which was why he was going to keep his mouth shut.

"Okay, looks like they're heading towards the front row," reported Motoki, who was in current possession of the binoculars. "Fourth to front, third to front, second to front – they have landed, I repeat, they have landed."

"Nothing's ever easy, is it?" griped Darien as he, Motoki, and Asanuma dropped to their knees and began to crawl under the seats closer to Seiko and Serena. "WHY do I let you two drag me into these things?"

A few minutes later, the trio popped up a few rows behind Seiko and Serena. They carefully positioned themselves behind a – er- _busy_ couple so that Seiko and Serena wouldn't be able to see them.

"Man, it's a good thing we found these two," whispered Asanuma loudly, motioning with his binoculars towards the couple making out in front of them. "Otherwise we'd be dead – hey, look, it's starting!"

The opening credits scrolled down the screen, and the boys watched silently as the camera panned through a graveyard, then zoomed in on a patch of trembling grass. A skeletal hand popped out of the grave; then an explosion of dirt, grass, and mouldering flesh, erupted into the camera and faded the screen to black. Maggots burrowed out of the darkness, squirming, and formed the movie's title, Attack of the Something or Others, Darien wasn't really paying attention.

The first fifteen or so minutes of the movie were filled with screams, blood, guts, more screams, dismembered limbs, growling things, gore, anorexic blondes, and more screaming. Darien kept one eye on the screen and one on Serena and Seiko, though he was careful not to report anything of what he saw. The farsightedness of his alter ego allowed him to focus on them and magnify their images clearly in his mind's eyes, but he wasn't about to apprise Asanuma and Motoki of this ability.

To his surprise, Serena seemed to be taking the horror film very well. He had expected her to leave immediately when the movie started, or scream a couple of times, or be crying, or at the very least, huddle to Seiko for comfort – but she was just sitting calmly in her seat, with cheek hand propped on her drawn-up knee, popping Skittles in her mouth every once in a while. Serena, it seemed, was surprising him again and again.

And so was Seiko – surely he hadn't invited Serena to this movie if he wasn't planning on _doing_ anything? Darien began to think so until his eyes caught a small motion near Serena's side. It was Seiko's right hand, inching slowly towards Serena's on the armrest. Darien choked and spewed his soda all over the girl sitting front of him. Luckily for him, she was _still_ too preoccupied with her boyfriend to notice.

"What? What is it?" Asanuma grabbed the binoculars from Motoki and swung them towards Seiko and Serena. "Oh, no you don't!" He grabbed a handful of popcorn from his bag and aimed. "Take that!" He flung the fistful of buttery kernels at Seiko's head. The fluffy white pieces lodged themselves securely in Seiko's nest of rusty brown curls.

Seiko twitched, and his hand moved from the armrest to pat his hair. They watched as he found a piece and stared at it a moment. He twisted around in his seat in an attempt to locate the thrower of the popcorn, but Asanuma, Motoki, and Darien were safely hidden by the amorous couple. Seiko turned back around. Darien relaxed, thankful that they hadn't been noticed, then tensed again. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end, something in the air –

_BOOOM!_ The wall behind the screen exploded outwards, ripping through the screen and sending car-sized boulders of concrete bowling and crunching into the rows of seats. Screams erupted, and in the midst of the destruction, an impossibly well-endowed creature cackled maniacally.

L

A/N: Oh my. A youma in the movie theater. What's going to happen? Is Serena injured? She was, after all, in the front row…. Will she and Darien find out each other's identities? Does that girly wig really belong to Asanuma's mother? Will the boys get kicked out of the theater for throwing popcorn? And most importantly – will EightofSwords ever meet any of the guys on her Hot Guys List? Other than #1152, that is. (Not a word, Giri-chan! Not a word! You neither, Nan-chan!)

Please tell me what you thought of Serena's soliloquy. I'm kinda iffy on it.


	14. No Escape

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to one of my best friends, Revolutionnaire Rouge, who it seems to me has been overworked this week. This one's for you, Giri-chan!

Disclaimer: If I owned Sailor Moon, my English teacher would be grovelling at my feet.

* * *

Subject to Change

* * *

_...have to…it…Serenity…need…she…us…_ The voice wove in and out of her subconscious, like the audio from a staticky TV channel. Serena slowly drifted into awareness, and as the fog receded, so did the voice and the indistinct shadow in the mist…

Serena coughed, her lungs wracking in an attempt to get rid of the dust that had settled along their interior. Feeling like she had just swallowed a squirrel, Serena used her elbows to haul herself up out of the pit of pebble-sized rubble that she had woken up in.

_I must've blacked out for a second,_ she thought, coughing some more. She crawled behind a boulder-sized chunk of cement and peered around it. _There's the youma. But where's Seiko?_

Before she could look for him, a scream reached her ears. Straining up further on her tiptoes to peer over the concrete, she saw the youma – which must have been the thing to blow the theater to bits – wrapping its appendages around a middle-aged woman and her companion. She shoved Seiko out of her mind – he would have to take care of himself for now – and shoved a hand into her pocket for her communicator.

She punched the distress call button, expecting it to light up like it usually did to signal that it was calling the girls. But it remained dim. Figuring that she hadn't pushed it hard enough, she punched the button, harder. A jet of water shot out, hitting her square between the eyes.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me…" She punched the Mercury call button, then the Mars. Neither lit up. Serena grimaced, her mind flashing back to the day that she had dropped the communicator in the locker room toilet. It must have broken then. Crud. Crud, crud, crud, crud, _crud_!

Serena took a deep breath. This was okay. She could do it. She could fight a youma without Ami and Rei. She had done it before. It wasn't like they were good for much else but chasing each other around and hurling insults, anyways. Well, that and defusing potentially explosive calculators, but that was beside the point. What _really_ scared Serena was fighting alone. Being alone at all. Tuxedo Mask would most likely not be showing up, and without Mars or Mercury, she would be completely without backup.

_Don't think, just do it and get it over with. _Serena pulled out her brooch, voice shaky and thin. "Moon…Prism…"

"Serena!"

Serena quickly stuffed her brooch back in her pocket and spun. "Seiko!" she exclaimed, the relief in her voice mingled with annoyance. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. What about you?"

"Not a scratch – " she noticed a long, bleeding gash on his forehead and gasped. "Seiko! You _are_ hurt!"

"It's no big deal," he protested, but Serena was already rummaging around in her purse. She finally found what she was looking for – her school handkerchief, the one that had her name embroidered in the corner.

"Here, at least you can wipe all that dust away from it with this," said Serena firmly, using the square of cloth to carefully swab the grime and bits of cement fragments out of the wound. When she had made it as clean as she could, she stepped away from him and balled the soiled kerchief up in her hand. (A/N: Nooooo! EBOOOOOOOOOOOLA!) "It's not much, but – "

"No, no, it's great," said Seiko earnestly. He reached out, and his fingers brushed her hand. He clasped it tentatively. Serena stared from their hands to Seiko, mind racing with thoughts. First flattery that he was doing this, then uncertainty, because she didn't think she liked him that way, then betrayal, because didn't she like Tuxedo Mask, then pain because she wasn't allowed to ask Tuxedo Mask, then a hot flash of sickness because she could still remember the fury in his eyes at the jewelry shop…

"Serena, I…"

_I can't do this. I can't do this right now._ Serena's eyes flickered desperately in every which way: side to side, up and down. A flash of movement above her caught her eye – another chunk of the cement roof, scraping downwards. It was going to fall in a couple of seconds…immediately, Serena's eyes went to the ground below it, to make sure no one was standing there –

But there was. A little boy, no older than eight. Serena's first thought was to wonder why in the heck a kid his age was even at a slasher flick like this; the second was to get to him, and push him out of the way, fast.

One didn't fight youma as often as Serena did without developing lightning-fast reflexes. Snatching her hand away from Seiko's and blurring into motion, she sprinted and dove for the kid –

The ceiling groaned –

Her fingers brushed the cloth of the boy's shirt –

The chunk scraped free of the ceiling and began to plummet downwards –

Serena shoved the boy out of the way and landed with a bone-jarring crack on the ground –

Right in the middle of the boulder's path.

* * *

_Faster…faster…**faster!**_ Tuxedo Mask pumped his legs harder, faster. His speed was already so great that his cape had been torn off by the drag forces, but would it be great enough to beat the downward velocity of the plunging cement?

_God, please…don't let Serena die…_

He lunged forward, surrendering himself to momentum, and felt Serena slam into his arms, then felt the skin of his legs mercilessly scraped and peeled away as he skidded across the stone-strewn carpet. Not a split second after he crashed into a row of smashed seats, he felt a tremendous _thuuuuddd_ shudder across the room. It rattled his teeth in his jaw, and he tightened his hold on Serena until its last echoes had melted away into the cacophony of the youma's deafening shrieks.

The moment he was able to concentrate on her, he knew something was wrong. Her body was tense, her limbs stiffly curled and trembling slightly. Most of his rescuees were limp when he scooped them up, rendered flaccid by their shock or their injuries. Why was Serena so rigid? Had she been hurt?

He released her and disentangled himself from her hair, wincing internally as he saw the way his blood clung to the strands. (A/N: NOOOOOO! EBOLAAAAAAA! RUUUUUN!) His grimace deepened into a frown when he saw the way she was hugging herself with her arms, as though cold. What was wrong with her?

"Uh, hey." He winced again as he spoke; how stupid did he sound? Call it idiotic pride, but for some reason, he wanted Serena to think that Tuxedo Mask was suave and cool. "Are you alright, little girl?" Great, now he sounded like some elderly policeman. "I mean, you're not hurt, are you?"

Serena shrank backwards, eyes wide and frightened like a doe. Her white-knuckled hands were clutched tightly around something. He had never seen her look this vulnerable before. He didn't think he had _ever_ seen anyone look that vulnerable. "I…."

"That youma didn't do anything to you, did it?" he prompted, reaching towards her without thinking. She shrank away, pressing back against the crumpled plastic seats. He snatched his hand back as though burned. His chest stung. What was Serena so frightened of? Surely not him? "Miss? Do I…frighten you?"

Not letting her eyes meet his, Serena nodded. He felt something plummet from his chest to his toes. Felt as though the breath had been punched out of him.

He swallowed. His mouth was dry. It couldn't form the word he wanted to ask – _why?_

He forced himself to stand up, barely noticing the shrieks of pain his leg nerves lanced into his brain. "You'd better get going. I have to take care of the youma. Go find your friend."

Serena's mouth opened, but he didn't want to hear what she was going to say. It hurt too much already. First he had hurt her as Darien, and now he had hurt her as Tuxedo Mask – couldn't he do anything right? What was it with him and hurting people? It was just lucky, he guessed, that he could still talk to her as Darien, that she didn't know that he was Darien. Maybe as Darien he could find out why Tuxedo Mask terrified her so.

* * *

Serena watched Tuxedo Mask stride away. She felt as though her very bones were quaking within her. Why was she so frightened? She was in her civilian form. Tuxedo Mask didn't – _couldn't_ – know that she was Sailor Moon.

But that didn't matter. _She _knew that she was Sailor Moon, and that he was mad at her, and that was enough. That, and the fact that even though he was mad at her, she still wanted to throw herself into his arms and stay with him forever and ever.

A shriek from the youma finally roused her from her depressed lethargy. She scrambled to her feet and reached for her brooch. Idiot! How could she have forgotten about the _youma_?

By the time the pink lights of her transformation had faded, the theater had become eerily quiet. Sailor Moon sprang out of her pose and leapt across the various pieces of wreckage towards the spot where the youma had last been. She found it locked in a fight against Tuxedo Mask, who looked strangely vulnerable without his cape swirling around him.

Sailor Moon bit her lip. She could use her tiara now, but it might clip Tuxedo Mask. She could call out to Tuxedo Mask to move, but she didn't know how he would react to her presence. And she didn't know if she wanted to find out.

But the decision was made for her. Zoicite appeared, stepping out of a hurricane of cherry blossoms.

"_Senshi_." The general's voice was monotone. Sailor Moon clenched the ball of cloth tighter in her hand as she turned away from the battle between Tuxedo Mask and the youma to look at the auburn-haired woman. Behind her, she heard the sounds of battle between Tuxedo Mask and the zombie silence, as though they had both stopped to watch the scene unfold before them.

"_My queen greets you, Sailor Moon._" Abnormally glassy eyes shone dully out of a grey face. Zoicite looked like a zombie.

Sailor Moon's eyes narrowed. Her queen? Zoicite had a queen?

"_She wishes you to know that be you her mother or a Higher Guardian, she will grant you amnesty should you **join us**._"

"Join…you?" Sailor Moon echoed.

"_She bids me inform you that a High Senshi will find a high position in her new era. There are others like you who have joined her._"

"Joined…"

"_But if you continue to resist us…_" Zoicite's voice ended with a snake-like hiss. "_There will be no mercy as there was before. There will be no resurrection. The gates to Hell are barred._"

"To…Hell?" Sailor Moon's lips rustled out. Her face was drained of color, pallid and slack.

Zoicite regarded her with something that seemed akin to amusement, though her lisp remained downturned. "_You are young, aren't you? They are using you, aren't they? They haven't told you. They are using you – to find her._"

Sailor Moon swallowed. "O – of course."

"_And you don't even care. Blind little brats those Lunarians raise. All for Princess, nothing matters but Princess. You are a** fool**, Sailor Moon. She will be your death._"

"I will…die for her…" struggled Sailor Moon. She stood frozen.

"_Of course you will._" Zoicite smiled now, lips curving expressionlessly. "_You have already sold your soul for her_."

Sailor Moon's face bleached pure white. The handkerchief fell from her hand.

"_Oh, yes, that scares you, doesn't it?_" Zoicite's voice slithered into her pounding ears, weaving itself around her thrashing mind and squeezing it like a boa constrictor. "_They didn't tell you that, did they?_"

"That's enough!" Tuxedo Mask's voice rang out, accompanied by a swish-thud sound. He strode into Sailor Moon's view, a blur of black at the corner of her eyes, interposing himself between herself and Zoicite. "Either shut up or leave."

Zoicite looked at him for a moment. "_You trust in her, too? This princess? Or are you one of **his**? I do not know you._"

"_Enough_," repeated Tuxedo Mask in a growl. His arm twitched; then a blade was pointed at Zoicite's throat. "Leave."

Cherry blossoms began to swirl around them, whipping up a strong wind. Sailor Moon sank to her knees, her arms pressing against her face as she squeezed her eyes shut. She felt her pigtails battering her back with stinging blows, and for the second time that day, cursed her long hair.

The wind eventually died away. Coated with the dust of a movie theater's worth of cement, Sailor Moon attempted to wobble to a standing position, but just ended up collapsing back on her butt. Tuxedo Mask was crouched a foot away from her.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." _Just tired of being in conversations that involve the question, "Are you alright?"_ "Are you?"

"Nothing some Spongebob Band-Aids won't fix." He wasn't looking at her. His legs were crossed Indian-style, and his hatless head was bent away from her. She laughed a little anyways, not sure if he was trying to make her feel better. If he was, she didn't want to hurt his feelings by not laughing. But then again, why would he be trying to make her feel better? He was mad at her. He was the enemy – according to Luna, at least.

Their silence continued. Sailor Moon barely noticed it; she was too confused, too tired. She didn't get up to leave, and either did her. Right now, after what Zoicite had said, and after what Luna had said, and what Ami and Rei had said, and after what she had thought in front of the mirror this morning, there didn't seem any place she belonged in better than a devastated ground zero like this.

"You know what?' Tuxedo Mask said suddenly. "I'm sorry."

Sluggishly, Sailor Moon glanced over at him. "What for?"

"Everything. Not protecting you. Not being able to help you. Not being someone you can trust."

_Not being someone you can trust…_ did that mean he _was_ from the Dark Kingdom? She didn't care. She just wanted to throw her arms around him and hug him and comfort him until they both felt better. But she couldn't. For about a thousand reasons. _Not being someone you can trust…_

"I don't understand." _Don't you hate me?_

Tuxedo Mask sighed. "Yeah." He crawled over to a pile of desk-sized cement chunks and began to push them to one side. A crushed hand was revealed, then a smashed ribcage covered in tattered bloody denim. "Neither do I."

* * *

"What do you have for me, Zoicite?"

Zoicite knelt at her monarch's feet, eyes pupil-less. "_Death, my queen_."

"At last." Beryl smiled, her fangs glinting in the meager light. She liked this new Zoicite. If only Nephrite's body could have been preserved before the soul had fled. But no, Zoicite's idiotic minions had had to go and ruin the perfectly good vessel. There was still Jadeite, though – and Malachite. But they had been the two closest to _him_; their souls would be harder to remove… Ah, well, there would be time to think of that later. "You relayed my message?"

"_Yes, My Queen_."

"Sailor Moon's reaction?"

"_She seemed confused. She is ignorant. A mere pawn. She knew nothing of the queen, nor the princess. She is a fool and nothing more._"

"She still manages to thwart every single one of your plans. Although…" Beryl eyed her general speculatively. "Although perhaps now that will be changed. Very well, then. Tell me of Tuxedo Mask."

"_He killed the youma. With the same blade. He could be one of **his.**_" Zoicite spat the word out.

"You want him dead." It was not a question, nor did it require an answer. Zoicite bared her teeth.

"You said you had death. I want more."

Zoicite reached into the folds of her uniform. When her hand re-emerged, it held something white and red. _"You will have it."_

_L

* * *

**A/N**: Review, please. Is it too dark?_


	15. Seven People

**A/N:** WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW! Who's seen the new Star Wars movie? Was it not AWESOME? I have never seen anything so great in my whole LIFE! I laughed (R2-D2), I "_awwww_"ed (Padme and Anakin), I drooled (Anakin), I cheered (Yoda), I screamed (Palpatine), I cried (Anakin, Mace Windu, Yoda, "younglings"). It was a beautiful, bittersweet, wonderful and terrible day. May Star Wars live on forever! (Especially Anakin, he was so hot…_EightofSwords_ _fans herself_. And yes, I know that he was hot in more ways than one, so don't use that joke on me, it's really old!)

Yeah. Okay. ANYWAYS…on to the chapter, I guess. (ANAKIN WAS SO HOT!)

**Disclaimer:** As I lay me down to sleep,

I cry and sob and moan and weep –

because Sailor Moon will never be mine to keep!

(And also because Star Wars is over…_sob_)

* * *

Subject to Change

* * *

"…a total of seven people found dead and ten more in serious condition at Juuban Medical Center. This is by far the most violent youma attack Tokyo has ever seen, and police are warning civilians to stay home until some sort of stability can be reached. Economists have spoken out against this suggestion, however, arguing that it could aggravate a recession…" The newscaster's voice faded as Luna placed her paw on the volume button. Serena hurriedly swiped away the tears that were rolling out of her eyes and sniffed, meeting the cat's burning gaze. _I couls have saved them. I should have saved them!_

"Luna, I – "

"I want you to tell me," snarled the cat, "one good reason why I shouldn't be slicing your pretty little face to shreds right now."

"I'm so sorry – "

"Oh, I know you're sorry, Serena! You're the sorriest excuse for a Sailor Senshi I've had in all my thousand years of living, that's what you are! Seven people – _seven people! _– dead in the presence of a Sailor Senshi!" Serena opened her mouth to explain, to say anything. "No, don't talk! No more talking, Serena! I can't _believe_ that you allowed this to happen! At the very least, you could have called Ami or Rei – " The cat jerked her head towards where the two other girls were sitting very still and quiet on Rei's bed. "I'm sure _they _would have been able to do the job you were obviously too lazy to do."

Serena was crying again by now. "I _tried! _I swear, Luna, I wanted to, but my communicator, it was broken!"

"_Broken_?" repeated Luna incredulously. "How?"

"I – I dropped it in the toilet a couple of days ago," sniffled Serena, coloring slightly. "It was an accident, and I didn't think anything was wrong, but then I tried to use it at the move theater, and nothing lit up …"

"You _dropped_ your _communicator_ in the _toilet_."

"Y-y-yes…"

Luna was silent for a very long, stretched-out moment. Then she let out a high-pitched little shriek of laughter. "Seven people. _Seven _people dead because Serena dropped her communicator in the TOILET!"

"Luna," began Ami, but the cat hissed warningly at her with blazing red eyes.

"You're on probation. Starting now. If you step one more toe out of line, if you're late to one more battle, if you screw up _one more time_, you are _out_. I will take your brooch and your pen, and you will be _out_, Serena. Do you understand me?"

Serena gulped, body lurching as she smothered a sob. _I could have saved them. Ami and Rei could have saved them – they'd still be alive – I did it. They're dead because of me. Is this what Zoicite meant? Those people died because of me – I killed them. So I'm going to…hell? _She swallowed back tears again. "Y-y-yes."

"Good." Luna turned and walked calmly over to Ami as though nothing had happened. "Ami, I believe I'll be staying with you for the next couple of months. Please have a place ready for me tonight."

Ami's mouth opened again, but a glare from Luna quelled her. So she nodded, not daring to sneak a glance at Serena.

"We're all settled, then," said Luna. "Good. Now, Ami, Rei, we have things to discuss…Serena, if you could leave?"

Wordlessly, Serena stood and walked out. She shuffled down the temple steps and down the deserted road. She had no particular destination in mind. She was just walking…because she had to. She had no destination. She had no goal. Her whole life was a marathon with no finish line and no medals.

_Sorriest excuse for a Sailor Senshi I've had…seven people dead…you allowed this to happen…you will be **out**…gates to Hell…using you…**fool**… your death…sold your soul…didn't tell you that, did they…gates to Hell…didn't tell you…to Hell…_

Like a badly doctored remix, the words played over and over in Serena's head. It was Zoicite's words about hell that she couldn't get out of her mind. There was no escape from them, or from the realization that maybe Luna wasn't as trustworthy as Serena had first thought, or from the fact that seven people had died because of Serena. There was no escape from these irreversible truths, just like there was no escape from the Dark Kingdom, no escape from fear or uncertainty. And since there was no escape, Serena's feet led her to the closest thing to a sanctuary they could think of – the arcade.

The jingle of the door bells as she walked in were audible, which was unusual in itself. Usually, the sound of the door chimes was drowned out by the raucous laughter of children, the constant beeping of videos games, and the background murmur of adult patrons.

But today, every booth, stool, and chair in the burger stool was empty save one. To Serena's faint disappointment, it wasn't Darien who sat in it, but Asanuma. He sat with his elbows grinding into the shiny countertop as he spoke in hushed tones with Motoki, who occupied his usual spot behind the counter.

"Usa!" exclaimed Motoki when he saw her. He strode out from behind the counter to stand in front of her, grabbing her shoulders. "Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you? Did that youma get you? You were sitting right up front – "

Serena stiffened and pulled away from the upperclassman, who had been turning her this way and that to check for injuries. "How'd you know I was sitting up front?"

Motoki's eyes bulged, and he and Asanuma exchanged looks. "Well, I – ah, that is – I mean to say – that – "

"That we were at the movies, too," came a voice, accompanied by the sound of chiming. The three high schoolers turned to see Darien standing in the doorway, pale-faced and chest heaving slightly as though he'd just run a marathon.

Serena opened her mouth to ask whether any of them had been hurt by the youma, but let out a cry instead, her question answered when she saw Darien's shins. "Darien! Your legs!"

Darien looked down as Asanuma let out a string of swear words. Huge dark red stains soaked the shins of his otherwise impeccable khaki cargoes, spreading quickly across the fabric.

"It's nothing," he said as Motoki thrust a washcloth into his hands. He propped up his leg on the table of a nearby booth and rolled up the legs of his pants. "Just some scrapes, that's all. I barely feel it."

Looking at the oozing lacerations across the front of Darien's shins, Serena seriously doubted his words. They had to hurt like…hell. Her mouth quivered. _Why am I crying over myself? I should be worried about Darien…I wish I could apologize to him…but then he'd want to know why I felt like I was responsible for him getting hurt…_

"Serena!" exclaimed Darien, eyes widening as he saw hers fill up with tears. "Really, I swear, it's no a big deal. Nothing to cry about!"

Serena shook her head as he gave her a reassuring smile. She bit viciously down on her lip in a valiant attempt to keep the sobs buried, but it was no use. The burning sensation spread as quickly as the blood on Darien's khakis, from her throat to her nose to her eyes. She began to cry, shoulders shaking and limbs trembling. She couldn't stop and even if she could, what was the use? Rei and Ami hated her. Luna hated her. She was going to die. For the Princess. For someone she'd never even met, she was going to go to the same place as all the youma…

Alarmed by Serena's sobs, Asanuma shot a panicked looked at Motoki. Motoki glared at Darien. Darien didn't pay a speck of attention to either one of them.

"Serena." He took his foot off the table, then stood motionless as he watched her. When she continued to cry into her hands, he lifted his voice slightly. "Serena."

She lifted her face, flushed and wet. Strands of hair glued themselves to her lips and cheeks as she looked at him with her mouth trembling.

"Is it something you want to talk about?" he asked, extending a hand to her and lifting an eyebrow. "Or do you just need a shoulder?"

Serena shook her head slowly, then stopped. Muffled, unintelligible sounds escaped her throat. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself. Motoki and Asanuma watched in shocked amazement as she proceeded to shuffle over to Darien and place her forehead against his shoulder, still crying quietly.

Darien lifted his hand and patted her back soothingly. As he did so, he spoek quietly to her. Asanuma and Motoki inched forward to do what they did best – eavesdrop – but Darien suddenly lifted his head from where he had rested it on top of Serena's. He pinned Motoki and Asanuma with a bone-chilling blue stare that had them immediately scrambling backwards on their hands and feet like frightened crabs.

"Did you see that?" hissed Asanuma to Motoki. "His eyes were all blue! That wasn't natural, man!"

"It – it must have been some trick of the light," stammered Motoki, eyes glued to Darien's back – the black-haired youth had release them from his stare and propped his chin between Serena's odangoes again. "We were just seeing things."

"And we still are!" said Asanuma in a low voice. "Darien's _comforting Serena. _And she's _letting _him!"

* * *

A strange sensation enveloped Serena. She felt the wet fabric of Darien's t-shirt, clinging to her face with the moisture of her blubbering, and felt the comforting warm weight of his head on hers. Embarrassment flooded through her – no matter how distraught she was, she shouldn't be dumping it all on someone like Darien, who didn't even really like her – but on the heels of that embarrassment was a thick fog. Gray and opaque, it wrapped itself around her like a phantom embrace until the only things left from the waking world were the weight of Darien's head and his voice whispering things she couldn't quite make out. At first she couldn't understand what he was saying because his breath was tickling her ear, but then it was because a new voice drowned his out.

"_Serenity…needs…they want…and…crystal…HELP HER!_"

Serena jolted out of the fog. Her limbs flailed spasmodically for a moment, as though she were falling from a very great height, then stilled as she remember where she was. She clutched Darien's arm with one hand, breathing hard.

"That's it," she heard Darien say. "She's going to the hospital. C'mon."

"No!" Serena's grip tightened on his arm; she blinked to clear her vision of the last tendrils of fog.

"Why not?" Darien demanded, eyes flashing. He seemed extremely angry – probably because he didn't want to have to deal with her.

"Because – nothing's wrong. Nothing happened to me at the yo – at the movie theater."

"Nothing! You almost got pulverized by a piece of the roof!"

Serena's eyes flicked fearfully to Darien's. "How'd you know that?"

He met her gaze steadily, unnerving her. "I saw Tuxedo Mask catch you."

"I…" Her heart thudded against her ribs. He seemed so serious. Was he trying to tell her that he'd seen her transform into Sailor Moon? He couldn't have, could he? _Please, God, no._ "You…"

"Saw you save that kid's life," finished Darien. Motoki and Asanuma gaped at him in amazement. "And it was an incredibly brave thing to do, Serena."

Guilt knotted Serena's stomach. If only he knew how many people had died instead of lived because of her…

"Serena-chan saved someone's life?" Asanuma burst out. "No way!" He grabbed her by the hands, pulling her away from Darien and waltzing her crazily around the arcade. "That's our girl! Sailor Serena!"

At any other moment, Serena would have been bubbling with laughter at Asanuma's heartwarming enthusiasm. Now, though, it just turned her stomach, roasting her with guilt. _They don't know. They don't know_.

She pulled away from Asanuma the moment he stopped. She forced a smile, acutely aware of Darien's piercing gaze focused on her. "Thanks, Asanuma." She turned to Darien. "See? I just did a crazy jig with Asanuma. I don't need to go to the hospital. I'm okay, really."

"Actually, that wasn't a jig, it was the polka," corrected Darien. He stared at her for a moment. She forced herself not to shift nervously, lest he think something was amiss. "I'll believe you…on one condition."

Serena gulped, then shrugged carelessly. "Shoot."

"I'm taking you home. C'mon." He turned towards the door.

"But – " She couldn't let him take her home! What if he interrogated her some more? What if she revealed something?

"Look." Darien sighed. "I'm sorry if I'm not great company – "

Now she was hurting his feelings! "No, that's not it, that's not it!"

" Then what's your excuse? Out with it, I don't have all day to listen to you stammering, Odango."

"I – " Serena began, then paused and hung her head in defeat. "Okay."

"Hmm, Darien taking Serena home…" Motoki smiled. "Sounds like the perfect opportunity for a declaration of love."

Darien's face mottled. "You know it's not like that," he gritted out. "It's just because we're _friends_."

Asanuma sniffed. "_I_'m your friend. How come you never offer to walk me home?"

* * *

A/N: Next chapter, we see what happens when Darien takes Serena home. It should be out pretty soon, maybe even tomorrow, since I'm out on break right now. There's more Sere/Dare action on the way, and also some Zoicite plotting and Senshi tension. As always, thank you so much to all you reviewers who make this story what it is. In your reviews, please give me suggestions and critiques so that I can love you forever and ever! (Although I must warn you all, my heart is promised to Anakin Skywalker – or Daniel Radcliffe, whomever proposes first.)

Lots of love and best of wishes on finals,

EightofSwords


	16. Sanctuary

**A/N: **This is a weird chapter, you guys. A lot of dialogue. Like, nothing BUT dialogue. And not much humor, either. I spent hours agonizing over it, and I'm still not sure of the final product. So…proceed carefully.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Sailor Moon, I'd get me some liposuction. Weeeooooh!

* * *

**Subject to Change**

Chapter Sixteen: Sanctuary

* * *

**To Do List:**

1.) find out what's bothering Odango so badly – hopefully, it's just the youma attack

2.) find out why the Odango's afraid of Tuxedo Mask

3.) heal shins when get home – those things burn like hell

4.) speaking of hell, what in the hell was all that junk Zoicite was spouting off to Sailor Moon? Find out, quick. She's not going to hell if_ I_ can help it.

5.) find Silver Crystal so that I can go back to sleeping at night instead of traipsing around after youma! God!

* * *

Somewhere in the time between Serena leaving the temple and talking to Darien at the arcade, night had fallen. As the blonde followed Darien out of the arcade, the only light to illuminate their path was the tangerine wash of the streetlamps.

Despite this meager lighting, Darien saw all too clearly the way Serena wrapped her arms around herself and darted glances up and down the street as though expecting something to jump out of the shadows and grab her. Poor kid. The combination of a youma attack, a near-death experience, and viewing her first horror film – even if she hadn't seemed that frightened by it at the time – must have done quite a number on her nerves.

"Here we are," Darien announced quietly when they reached his Mustang. He unlocked the passenger door and motioned to Serena to sit.

She slid into the car's shadowy interior. "I didn't know you had a car..."

"I don't drive it often." He shut her door gently and crossed around to the driver's side. "In a small place like Juuban, driving's not usually worth the hassle of parking and meters and gas and all that. And I only got my license a couple of months ago."

"Oh." She threaded her fingers together in her lap and stared at them.

She suddenly looked quite frail and pale in the darkness. He didn't like seeing Serena that vulnerable. He turned away quickly and keyed the ignition.

"Odango, I – Serena, I mean – " He sighed frustratedly and thumped the heel of his palm on the steering wheel. He couldn't even get her name out right. How was he going to vocalize the confusing emotions he was feeling right now if he couldn't even figure out her name? "I know I'm not a great listener and all – but are you sure you don't wanna talk about it? I – I want to help you. I don't like seeing you…depressed and droopy all the time."

Serena's hand unknotted, then re-knotted in her lap, white and taut. "I…I'm sorry. I won't cry anymore, I promise."

Darien frowned and glanced over at her. "That's not what I meant." The traffic light turned red. "I'm not saying that you should bury all your feelings inside and wear a mask to hide them." _Ha. Look who's talking. Hypocrite._ "Like with Seiko. You hate horror movies – or at least I thought you did – but you sat through practically that whole slasher flick with him. And with Coach that time, when you were going to join the track team because he wanted you to even though you _didn't_. You're always doing things because you want to make other people feel better. But you need to worry about yourself. You need to tell people when you don't want to do something. No one's life is always happy and carefree, and people need to know that you're no different. You're not this carefree angel they can dump their own desires on, you're a _person_."

Serena's fingers clenched. She looked up at him, eyes oddly bright. "But people have _responsibilities_," she said. "_Obligations._ You're supposed to put other people's needs before your own. That's what people do if they…if they want to get to heaven..." She choked slightly before continuing.

The pause was long enough for Darien's mind to jump back a few hours in time – _the gates to Hell are barred_. Was he not the only one who had overheard Zoicite's cryptic words to Sailor Moon?

"Maybe I'm not happy all the time. But just because I'm not happy doesn't mean I can dump my unhappiness on someone else. Then I'm just making them miserable, too, and that's not right at all."

"Maybe it's not right, but it's the way we are. It's the way human beings are. We're not perfect. We need support. We need people to share a little bit of our burden when it gets too heavy for us. That's not a weakness; it's a NEED. Instead of just taking everyone else's needs and wants upon yourself, Serena, you need to unload some. That's what your friends are here for. That's what Ami and Rei and – and – " _And me_, he added inside his mind.

Serena's gaze fell to her hands once more. "Could we…could we just not talk about this right now? Please?"

Darien was almost too preoccupied with his own anxiety to notice that mentioning Ami and Rei had caused her make such a plea. Almost.

"You had a fight with them, didn't you?" He hadn't know his voice could sound that gentle. "Ami and Rei."

Serena didn't answer. He hadn't expected her to. But an unexpected flood of pity washed through him, mingled with fury. He'd often heard Ami and Rei yelling at Serena for being late or not doing homework or klutzing out or pigging out – normal Odango things. And if they'd ripped into her today, after she'd been through a youma attack… His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.

"It wasn't their fault," she said in a small voice.

He looked over at her. "No, it was yours, right?" he said sarcastically, lip curling. "It's _always_ your fault, Serena."

"That's the general consensus," murmured Serena.

He blinked. "Are they laying a guilt trip on you?" he demanded. She remained still and silent, and that was answer enough for him. The traffic light turned green and he slammed a foot down on the pedal, squealing into motion. "Damn them. Both of them. I am so _sick_ of people laying guilt trips on you every damn second of the day – "

"It wasn't them!" Serena protested suddenly, lifting her head. "I mean – and even if it was – they're still right – "

Darien slammed a foot down again, this time on the brakes. The car screeched to a halt.

Darien swung around to face Serena. His timing – or hers – had been perfect; a pool of orange light from the streetlight bathed Serena's face so that he could see every tear track, each exhausted smudge under her eyes, every flicker of her expression.

"They are _not_ right, okay? I don't know what it is they're blaming you for, but whatever it is, it's not true. You are a good person, Serena. Better than most of the rest of us – hell, you're right up there with Sailor Moon when it comes to martyrdom. I don't care what Ami says, or Rei, or Coach Etoukou, or Seiko, anything that's going wrong in their life is _not your fault_. You talk about people having these responsibilities, these obligations." Darien was gaining steam now, encouraged by the glimmer in Serena's eyes. The fact that she looked like she was about to burst into tears again meant that he was getting through to her, right? "Doesn't anyone have an obligation to _you_? Isn't there anyone who should put _your _happiness first?"

He stopped. Tears still rolled down Serena's cheeks, but her face was firm, and she was staring at him, but not. It was as though she was staring t_hrough_ him. When she spoke, however, it was him she was speaking to. "You're talking about people. When you were talking before, you said I was a person. But what if I'm not? What if I have different responsibilities and obligations? And I'm supposed to protect, not be protected?"

"What, now you think you're an alien?" Darien attempted a grin. It failed to draw her out of the emotional clam she'd shut herself into, so he gave up. "Everyone should be protected. Everyone's got someone who…_likes_ them enough to protect them. Especially you."

"But what if I'm not _supposed _to be protected?' she insisted.

Darien snorted. "Let me tell you something. The people who care about you enough to protect you don't _care_ whether you're _supposed_ to be protected or not. I'm going to tell you a little secret, Odango – " He noticed her start a bit and glance at him as though startled. _I don't care. I'm tired of calling her Serena. _"You know how Motoki said we were at the movie today? It wasn't because we just had a sudden craving to see Paris Hilton with a knife sticking out her cranium. We knew you were going there with Seiko, and we wanted to make sure he didn't try anything on you. _That_'s why we were there. To protect you. And if you think that Numa and Toki and – and – " He faltered momentarily, "…and _I _are going to leave you to the wiles of some boy just because you've got some crazy notion you're not _supposed_ to be protected, you've got another think coming."

"No, but – " Serena stammered. "You still don't get it, Darien!"

Darien sighed. He twisted around to face forward in his seat again, his fingers drumming the steering wheel. After a long pause, he began, "You know, there was this week, a while back, when Asanuma got this crazy idea in his head that you were Sailor Moon."

Serena choked; he ignored her.

"I guess it was because you're practically the only blonde in Juuban, and you've got the hairstyle and everything. So he followed you around for a week trying to get proof that you were Sailor Moon. At the time, I thought he was a moron. I mean, come one, what did you have in common with a superhero?" He snorted to himself, then remembered that he was trying to cheer Serena up, not depress her further. "But now…I'm kinda seeing what he meant. Sailor Moon puts everyone before herself, but does anyone look out for her? No. Not even her friends; they're always squawking around like a couple of chicken with their heads cut off – " He clenched his fingers. "And you – you saved a kid's life today, nearly got killed yourself, but do Ami or Rei appreciate it?" He speared her with a sapphire glance. "Did you even tell them?"

Serena's mouth opened and closed, working silently. She seemed dazed.

Darien decided it was time for him to lay off. He keyed the ignition again and pulled back into the road. Not a word was spoken by either teenage until they rolled to a stop in front of Serena's house. Then they sat still for a moment. Darien's hands were slick with sweat, and in this ceasefire of conversation, he became more aware than ever of the burning scrapes on his shins.

"There's something in your leg," said Serena suddenly. "Something gold."

Darien looked down at his bloody shins, which were revealed by his rolled-up khakis, and felt his heart leap into his throat. His psychometry sometimes emitted gold sparks when it was healing him. Was that what Serena had seen? Could he explain it to her without revealing that he was Tuxedo Mask? What if he couldn't? How would she react? She had seemed so frightened of Tuxedo Mask at the theater – maybe he could just say that he had this weird ability to heal himself and he didn't know where it had come from. That wouldn't give away his secret identity –

"There it is again." Before Darien could open his mouth, Serena leaned over and plucked something off his leg. He nearly had a heart attack. Serena sat up again, holding something long and thin that glinted gold and red in the tangerine glow of the streetlight.

"It's a piece of my hair," she said embarrassedly, her tearstained face flushing a darker red. "I'm really sorry – it must've gotten stuck when I was…crying…"

Darien, thinking of how Tuxedo Mask's blood had gotten all over Serena's air when he rescued her, said nothing.

"Darien…you said that you saw Tuxedo Mask rescue me."

He glanced at her briefly. "Yeah…"

Her fingers knotted together. "Does that mean you heard…does that mean you heard what that lady told Sailor Moon? That general lady?"

_Aha. I was right._ Darien thought carefully for a moment, eyes narrowed. _Honesty is the best policy…what could it hurt?_ "Yes."

"Do you…what do you think it meant?"

"What do I think it meant?" Darien blinked. _Well, I don't know. I haven't had a chance to think about it yet. It's on my To Do list, though._ "Well…I don't know. What she was saying didn't make any sense. How could Sailor Moon go to hell? After all the lives she's saved?"

"She didn't save lives today, though," said Serena, a tinge of desperation in her voice. "Seven people died because of her."

"Because of her?" Darien quirked an eyebrow to hide his indignation. He failed to notice the desperation that tinged Serena's voice. He was too hung up over the idea that _Sailor Moon, _the angel of his _world_,was to blame for someone's death. "Where did you get that idiotic idea?"

"Well – she could have gotten there faster, couldn't she? She could have saved those people from the youma."

"Serena, I saw one of the newscast on the youma attack. Those seven people were killed instantly when rubble from the youma's arrival crushed their skulls. Sailor Moon couldn't have stopped them from dying."

"But – "

"No buts. Look, she couldn't have known that the youma was going to show up at the movie theater. She's not omniscient. She's not all-powerful, despite what people seem to think. She's a _teenager_. She could just as easily not show up when a youma starts attacking people. But she does, and every time, she's risking her life. She's like you, Odango, she doesn't think about herself. Just other people. That's why I think it's a bunch of nonsense that she could ever go to hell. If anyone deserves heaven, it's her."

"You really think that?"

He snorted. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't, would I?"

"So…you don't blame her? For those people's deaths?"

"Of course not!" Darien watched Serena carefully, curiously. "But you know what? I'd bet you my car that _she_'s beating herself up about it. Like you do. She probably thinks it's _her_ fault all those people died. Just goes to show that blonde's her natural hair color."

Serena frowned. "I don't get it…wait. You're saying she's stupid?"

"If she thinks it's her fault those people died, she is," Darien amended. "Look, Odango, you've been through a lot today. Why don't you go get some sleep? It'll make everything a lot clearer."

Serena attempted a smile. "Is that your way of hinting tactfully that you want me to get out of your car so you can leave?"

"Your all-seeing eyes have seen right through me," replied Darien, also smiling. "Now go to bed."

_But I don't want to go inside,_ Serena thought, staring at Darien's shadowed face. _When I get out, my mom's going to be demanding to know where I was and if I'm alright, and I'll have to lie to her and say I'm perfectly okay. And when I go to sleep, I'll have nightmares of Tuxedo Mask and Zoicite and the voice in the fog, and the fire and the screaming. And when I wake up, it'll be even worse, because I'll remember that those people are dead and I didn't save them, and Ami and Rei and Luna will ignore me because they hate me because they remember that those people re dead, and I didn't save them, and they're not like you, they don't think that Sailor Moon couldn't have saved them, they think it was her fault. And I don't know what to believe, because I want to think that I didn't do it, but I know that someone's to blame for those people being dead, and it seems cowardly of me to say it's someone else's fault, and – and – and – I just want to stay in the car with you._

_Please don't make me get out._

But Serena said, "Okay," she opened the door. "Thank you. For the ride and…everything."

_"I'm sorry."_

_"What for?"_

_"Everything."_

Serena shut the door.

* * *

**A/N:** I HATE this chapter! But I had to get it out before I could do any of the new, better chapters…I'm sorry about this one, you guys. I PROMISE, I'll do better next time!

Um, also. I am seriously considering writing a chapter about the Spring Fling (it has been mentioned in passing a couple of times in this fic). _IF _I do so, I'm not sure whether I should post it as a stand-alone or as a chapter of STC. Please tell me in your reviews:

a.) whether you want to read a Spring Fling fic

b.) whether I should post it alone or as a chapter

c.) what you would like to be in it (give me a couple of ideas, please!)


	17. Bits and Pieces

**A/N:** Wow, seventeenth chapter. I can't believe it. I've hardly even scratched the surface of the storyline, and the story's already almost twenty chapters. I really need to get my rear in gear. Not much humor in this chapter, but there's some forthcoming in the next, I promise.

I'm trying to make this a longer chapter than usual because the last, like, eight pages if this chapter are replies to reviewers – hey, I'm long-winded, and there's a LOT of you (a fact which I am extremely grateful for)! So let's not waste any more time on my babbling!

**Disclaimer:** What! Naoko Takeuchi sold the Sailor Senshi to an exotic dance club? NOOOOOO! (Ooh, I'm gonna get a lot of flak for that one…)

* * *

**Subject to Change**

* * *

Serena climbed the stairs robotically, exhausted by the effort of convincing her mother that yes, she was completely fine, no, she had not been hurt, and that yes, the next time she was involved in a youma attack, she would come straight home to assure her mother that she wasn't dead.

Serena's shoulders were slumped, her head hanging so low that her hair dragged on the carpet. She failed to notice, though. Her mind, to use a cliché, was a million miles away.

Weariness pervaded her body. A bone-deep yearning gnawed at her, a yearning to just lie down in the middle of the stairs and go to sleep for ever and ever. Let the Dark Kingdom take over the world; she was too tired to care.

But then she felt shame. How could she think such a horrible thing? After all those things Darien had said about Sailor Moon being selfless…

Darien. A sense of longing constricted Serena's throat. She wanted to go back to that secure, sheltered moment in the car with Darien. He understood her. He understood Sailor Moon. _He called me Odango._ It had felt good, hearing his voice say "Odango" again. It made her feel more secure, took her back for a moment to those simpler days, when all she had to worry about was whether to call Darien a jerkwad or a creep._ He **has** changed. But so have I._ She had been crazy to think that Darien wasn't her friend. That she couldn't trust him. God, at this point in time, she trusted him more than anyone else in the universe. He was the only one who had faith in her – in both of her identities.

But longing drifted into dread. Dread of the coming night and the coming day. Darien believed in her, but no one else did. The next day was Sunday – a double-edged blade, because while it meant that she wouldn't have to face people immediately, it also meant that she wouldn't have classes to distract her. _And no matter what, I'll eventually have to face Ami and Rei…and Luna._

This thought led to fear. Fear of Luna, and what she had threatened. _I will take your brooch and your pen, and you will be **out**…_

But then came confusion. Would she really care all that much if she didn't have to be a Senshi anymore? Without youmas to worry about, Serena would be able to get a decent amount of sleep, raise her grades, get back together with Molly, spend more time at the arcade, stop stressing over the princess and her stupid crystal –

But according to Zoicite, that wasn't possible. According to Zoicite, she had already sold her soul for this princess.

Here returned confusion and fear, mingled with anger. Zoicite had been so cryptic – and so vague. Trusting the words of a Dark Kingdom general didn't seem like the smartest thing to do, and granted, the general HAD been trying to recruit her, but Serena was still forced to conclude that Luna had been keeping a few things to herself. Wasn't it common courtesy to inform a girl that if she became a Sailor Senshi, she was selling her soul? Growing indignation filled Serena, not only on her part, but on Ami and Rei's. What kind of scam was that cat running?

Serena reached the head of the stairs, a few steps away from her closed door. In her distracted state, she almost didn't notice the soft yellow glow of lamplight shining out of the crack between the door and the floor. A frown creased her dusty, tear-stained face. It felt like a thousand years had passed since she had sprinted out of her room that morning, but she was pretty sure she hadn't left a light on. Of course, she_ had_ been in a huge hurry, but still…

Serena's hand slipped into her skirt pocket and clasped the brooch within. Then she swung open the door. A faimiliar black cat looked up disinterestedly from a newspaper that was spread out on Serena's bed.

"I was wondering when you'd finally come home," Luna said severely. She nodded towards the window. "Is that what you've been doing all those times you were late to battles? Riding around with boys in Mustangs?"

Serena grimaced. _Thank you so much, Luna, for besmirching the memory of my totally G-rated car ride with Darien._ _Well, G except for a couple of curse words…okay, maybe it was PG. But still._

"_No,_" she said instead. "Darien gave me a ride home."

"From where?"

"Weren't you supposed to be staying at Ami's house?" Serena deflected Luna's question with one of her own.

"I am," replied the cat, licking a paw nonchalantly. "But I thought that maybe you and I should have a more in-depth conversation. We didn't get to talk much at the temple."

"Because you kicked me out, you mean?" Serena plopped down on her vanity chair with her back to Luna, instead watching the cat in the mirror.

"Yes, because of that." Luna moved on to the other paw. "I hope that little breather gave you a chance to get yourself together and realize the consqequences of your actions."

"I…" Serena's mind drifted to Darien and his determined expression. _Those seven people were killed instantly when rubble from the youma's arrival crushed their skulls. Sailor Moon couldn't have stopped them from dying._ "I think I still need to sleep on it."

"I see." Luna leapt down from the bed. "After you left, I spoke with Ami and Rei. Ami was, as usual, quite neutral. She agreed to follow whatever my decision might be. And Rei – well, I hardly think I need to tell you that Rei greatly covets your position as leader. And I won't hesitate to tell you that I think she is far more qualified for it than you are. However, I have decided to give you one more chance, Serena. You must understand the extreme of leniency I am showing to you - "

"Luna," said Serena abruptly. 'When were you planning to tell us that we've sold our souls for the princess?"

Luna froze. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about!" shouted Serena, jumping to her feet, fury mixed with disbelief. "You _knew _what we were doing! And you never _told _us?"

"_Who_," Luna gritted her pointed teeth together with scraping sounds. "_told you_?"

"I had a little chat with Zoicite," bit out Serena. "Kinda sad when a Sailor Senshi has to depend on a Dark Kingdom general for information, isn't it, Luna? Have you told them? Have you told Ami and Rei?"

Luna glared at Serena for a moment, her whiskers quivering. She seemed torn between clawing Serena's eyes out or running away. She darted forward, swiped one clawed paw across Serena's leg, and then disappeared with a bang and a poof of glittery, choking smoke. Serena's mouth dropped open. Okay, that thought she had had that Luan was keeping a few things to herself? Scratch that. Luna was keeping a LOT of things to herself. She had just…_teleported_, or something! How was that even possible?

_I have to call Ami_, Serena realized. _I need to tell her and Rei what Zoicite said –_ She plunged a hand into her pocket – yet again – for her communicator, then remembered that it was broken. _Argh!_ She yanked open her door and raced down the stairs. As she pounded down the steps, the phone rang. Her heart leapt; she heard her mother's calm voice answering: "Hello?"

She skidded into the kitchen. Her mother glanced up at her and beamed, holding out the phone to her. "Serena! What timing! You didn't tell me about a painting! Oh, I'm so proud!"

"Painting?" Serena smiled blankly at her mother and took the phone. _Please be Ami…_ "Hello?"

"_Matin_, darling! Iz zat you?"

_Miss **Lanai**?_

"Um – yes." _Get off my phone, lady! I really need to call Ami!_

"Ah, _chouette_! You are doing good? And your _famille_, yes?"

"Um – yeah. We're doing great. Look, Miss Lanai, I've really got to call someone, it's urgent - "

"Oh, oh, I will be quick. I would not want to keep Matin from her 'ot boy, _hein_? _D'accord_, Matin, I 'ave…_euh_…finished ze painting, and I, euh, wish for you and 'ot boy to come see it tomorrow. At…_euh_, eleven o'clock. You can come, _oui_?"

Miss Lanai sounded slightly strained. Serena wondered if she was okay – maybe she had been working on the painting nonstop and gotten stressed out – but didn't have the tiem to ask. She was on a mission, for heavens' sake!

"Yeah, I'll be there." Serena shifted from foot to foot. "Is that all? I really need to go – "

"Zat is all, Matin! _Bon nuit_!"

"Uh…yeah. Same to you." Serena quickly hung up, then dialed Ami's number. "C'mon, Ami, please pick up, pick up, pick up – "

The answering machine picked up. Serena left a garbled message – "Ames, it's Serena, it's really important, I know you're mad at me, but please, please, please call back quick." – then dialed Rei's. After several rings, Chad picked up.

"Hikawa Shrine, holy-guy-in-training speaking. What can I do for you, dudette?"

"It's me, Chad, Serena. Can I talk to Rei, please? It's really important."

"Uh – well, she's holed up in her room with Ami… you know how she really doesn't like me to bother her…"

"But it's really important, Chad!"

"Fine, but if she burns off my hair again, you're buying me a wig," Chad grumbled and set down the phone. Serena fidgeted impatiently until he came back a few minutes later. "Hey, Serena? I'm sorry, but, uh, she kinda said she never wants to talk to you again. Ever. Uh…no hard feelings, right?"

Serena's heart sank to her toes. "Um…no." She sighed. "Thanks, Chad. I…um… I'm sorry to have bothered you."

_Click._

Serena stared at the phone. Despair licked at her mind, like the ocean tide lapping at a sandy shore, washing it away. She felt herself detached, anchorless, floating in it, felt it consume her and drown her – _N_o! She shook her head frantically. No. It wasn't over. She would find Ami and Rei tomorrow, after she went to see that stupid painting. She would tell them what Zoicite had said, and what Luna had said, and they would listen to her. They _had _to listen to her.

* * *

_The next morning:_

"Why don't I ever sleep in on the weekends, like normal people?" grumbled Darien as he shuffled sleepily down the sidewalk. "_I _need the sleep more than anyone, but no, I'm always too busy stalking teenage girls and surveying pieces of art…" He swallowed another scalding mouthful of the coffee he'd picked up at the arcade before heading for school. The coffee was good, but he wasn't sure if it was worth the torturing he'd suffered at the hands of Asanuma and Motoki to buy it.

(_EightofSwords, too lazy to write a flashback, pulls out a script.)_

_**Darien:** dragging himself into arcade Motoki…need coffee…_

_**Motoki:** plopping steaming mug down on counter, then taking a sip of his own orange juice Wow, you look smashed, Dare. Why are you so tuckered-out?_

_**Asanuma**: popping up behind Darien, who has pulled himself into a stool Because he and Serena-chan had a looooooong night, that's why._

_**Darien:** spews coffee_

_**Motoki:** grinning widely at Darien When's the baby due?_

_**Asanuma**: You're gonna name it after me, right?_

_**Motoki**:to Asanuma Idiot, what if it's a girl?_

_**Asanuma**: Asanuma is a perfectly bisexual name!_

_**Darien:** spews coffee_

_**Motoki:** spews orange juice_

_**Asanuma:** What?_

_(end of script)_

Nope, the coffee definitely wasn't worth it. Especially when it was so hot this morning. _Wow, spring already…_

Darien rounded the corner and reached the school gate. And what should be bobbing three feet in front of him but a pair of blonde buns.

_Serena,_ he thought. Right on cue, the little blonde spun around.

"Darien!" she said in a tone Darien couldn't quite interpret. He gave her a tentative smile, watching her closely. "Are you – um – did Miss Lanai call you, too?"

"Unfortunately," he said, still watching her. Her skin was pale, but that was nothing new; there were bags under her eyes, but again, that was normal for Serena as of late. Argh, her stupid happy mask! How was he supposed to tell if she was doing any better than last night?

Serena chewed on her lip as they walked into the school. Why was he being so quiet? All her certainty from last night drained away. Maybe he had just said those things to her last thing to be nice. Maybe he had really been annoyed to listen to her sniffle and cry. He must have been annoyed, because otherwise he would be talking to her right now instead of walking along silently.

"Dari – "

"Matin! Matin!" Miss Lanai waved zealously at them from a few doors down. "_Vite, vite_! Come faster, _mes chers_! Zis painting is worth 'urrying for!"

Serena sighed and obligingly quickened her footsteps. She missed the look Darien shot at her. _I'll hurry, alright. I've got to get out of here so I can track down Ami and Rei…_

They entered the room. The chill, air-conditioned air was a welcome change from the springtime humidity outside. Serena tugged at the collar of her t-shirt, peeling it from the skin of her neck. She suddenly wished that she hadn't dropped her handkerchief yesterday. She could have used it to mop some of the sweat from her forehead.

"Are you ready?" questioned Miss Lanai as eagerly as a kid at Christmas. She was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet next to an easel that had been draped with a white sheet. "It is _magnifique_, I tell you. _Parfait!_ Ze best work I 'ave ever done! In fact, I am zinking of making it into a series – "

"Can we see it now?" interrupted Serena timidly. _I hate to rain on her parade, but I've **really** got to get going…_ "Please?"

Miss Lanai blinked at her, rubbing at her penciled-on mustache. "Such impatience, Matin. Is it zat you are as eager to see ze masterpiece as I am to show it to you?"

"Yes, that's it," said Serena, nodding in fervent agreement. "Can we see it now?"

"_Oui!_ Stand back, _s'il vous plait_! _Preparez-vous_…_VOILA!"_

She yanked the sheet off of the easel with a flourish that could have put Tuxedo Mask's cape to shame, and the product of Serena and Darien's tortuous detentions was revealed.

It wasn't the rather…ahem, intimate position that she and Darien were in in the picture that drained the color from Serena's face, nor was it the fact that painting-Darien was dressed in a tuxedo that looked ever-so-familiar, nor was it the absolutely gorgeous gossamer dress that painting-Serena wore.

It was the background. It was the citadel-like building, the one that resembled the Taj Mahal, that painting-Serena and painting-Darien were in front of. It was the building that Serena had seen in her dreams.

"That…that…" she heard herself whisper. _What does this mean?_

Darien took a step toward her. "Excuse us a minute," he said to Miss Lanai, then led Serena over to the couch where they had sat during those detentions. He pushed her gently into a sitting position, then hunkered down on his heels in front of her.

"Serena, are you okay?" He tentatively passed a hand in front of her glazed eyes. "Odango?"

Serena snapped her eyes to Darien's. _Pull yourself together, Serena! They'll notice! _"Huh?"

"Are. You. Okay?" he repeated slowly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

Darien didn't look convinced. Serena fumbled hastily around in her mind for a different answer, any answer!

"I – uh – I mean – the painting just kind of shocked me, cause, uh – " She swept her eyes across the painting. "Because…because that painting really makes you look like Tuxedo Mask!"

Darien's eyes bulged. Serena winced. _Now he probably thinks that I think that he looks hot because everyone knows I have a crush on Tuxedo Mask – or used to, anyways, who knows now – oh, God, I'm screwed. Great job, Serena! You and your big mouth!_

"Me?" Darien finally stopped choking long enough to speak. "Tuxedo Mask? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That's, uh, really funny, Odango – "

"Yeah, yeah, isn't it?" inserted Serena quickly. "Wow, I don't know what I was thinking – "

"Me neither - "

"Cause, you know, you're not as hot as Tuxedo Mask – "

"No, no, of course not – "

"And he, uh, has hair that's WAY darker than yours – "

"Exactly– "

"And, you know, he's…really…sweet…" Serena trailed off. _But he's probably in league with the Dark Kingdom._

"Hey," Darien said softly, "Really. Are you okay? After yesterday and everything, I mean."

Serena looked down at him, her dark eyes slowly lightening again. A smile touched her lips. "Yeah," she said in a voice equally soft. "I'm fine." Her hand reached out, as though to ruffle his hair, then she quickly snatched it back again. _What in the heck were you about to do, Serena!_

She stood up quickly. _Walk away. Walk away quickly. Maybe he didn't notice._

Serena was lucky. Darien hadn't noticed. At least, not the emotion behind the intention. He _had _noticed Serena's hand lifting, but hadn't devoted any particular brainpower to why. (Such is the mind of a man.) Instead, he attempted to lower his blood pressure back to normal levels – this was the second time in two days that Serena had come within an inch of finding out he was Tuxedo Mask!

He stood up and turned to watch her again. Once they left the school, he decided, he would grill her on why she was afraid of Tuxedo Mask. And why Ami and Rei were mad at her. And then he would go home, finish his physics paper, and pray that a youma showed up. He wanted to confront Sailor Moon about what Zoicite had said.

_It's time to get some answers._

* * *

_It's time to get some answers_, Serena thought determinedly as she dragged Miss Lanai back to the couch to sit with her and Darien.

"'ow is it, Matin?" pressed Miss Lanai anxiously, sinking into the couch between Darien and Serena. "I zought it was _parfait_, but you are not 'appy?"

Serena blanched, then pasted on a smile. "Oh, oh, I'm happy! I'm sorry, Miss Lanai, I didn't mean to go all drama queen on you like that, I was just kind of, um, shocked."

"Iz zat so?" Miss Lanai cocked an eyebrow slyly. "_Dit-moi_…why?"

"Because of, um, the, um, position you painted me and Darien in," fibbed Serena. Although it wasn't actually a whole fib; she _had_ been rather scandalized when she saw painting-Serena and painting-Darien. It seemed like something one would see on the Paris metro, or perhaps a Spanish soap opera. Not that Serena had watched any Spanish soap operas, or anything. "It's kind of suggestive."

"Oh, please, Matin!" Miss Lanai rolled her eyes. "I told you, on ze Paris metro – "

"Yes, I know," interrupted Serena. "But Miss Lanai, I have a question. Um, where did you, um, get the idea for the painting?"

Miss Lanai's eyes glittered behind her spectacles. "Ah. I am glad zat you asked, Matin. You see, in my 'omeplace, there is a story about a kingdom on ze moon."

Serena's eyes went wide as dinner plates. Darien's brows knit together as he focused intently on Miss Lanai. Apparently pleased with her rapt audience, Miss Lanai went on dramatically.

"Zere was a princess zat lived in ze kingdom wiz 'er mozzer. Togezzer, zey ruled over ze kingdom, which encompassed all of ze planets, from Merucry to Pluto. Except one. Zis planet, ze earth, was ruled by its own _roi_ and_ reine_, and ze earth's people did not communicate wiz the ozzer planets' people because of a prophecy."

"What did the prophecy say?" breathed Serena.

Miss Lanai shrugged her shoulders, looking away from Serena to pick a piece of lint from her shirt. Serena could see the silver chain of a necklace leading below the scooped neckline of Miss Lanai's shirt and remembered the crystal she'd seen after detention on Thursday.

"Ze prophecy was only known to a couple of very high-up people. What all zat is said was a secret."

"So you're telling me that this princess you're talking about is the one you based on Serena? The one in the painting?" Darien nodded towards the canvas. _This whole story sounds like a second-rate sci-fi novel to me. But if I can find out something about the Moon Princess or the crystal…_

"But of course!" exclaimed Miss Lanai. She grabbed Serena's face in her hands and thrust it at Darien. The rest of Serena stumbled along after her. "Matin _est la princesse parfaite_! She 'as ze 'air, ze face, ze body – she is _PARFAIT _!" Miss Lana, in a burst of ehthusiasm, threw her hands up in the air as though thankign the heavens for such a "parfait" model. Of course, this meant that she dropped Serena's face, which promptly fell on Darien's kneecap.

"OW!" yelped Serena, clutching her jaw.

"_Parfait!_" raved Miss Lanai again. "_Comme une princesse!_ But of course, 'ot boy, already knows zat, _non_?"

"Um – yeah, yeah, of course I do," said Darien distractedly, preoccupied with Serena, whose eyes were watering. "Aw, c'mon, don't be a crybaby, Odango – "

"But it _hurts_," Serena sniffed, "and you were the one I shouldn't bury all my feelings inside."

"How do you always manage to turn my words back on me, huh, Odango?" He grabbed her by the crook of her elbow and lifted her from the floor. _So much for finding out about the princess. _"C'mon, we'll go to the arcade. I bet one of Toki's milkshake'll fix that jaw right up."

"But – " Serena tried to protest. _I still haven't found out how Miss Lanai knew what that Taj Mahal place looked like! Although maybe she just based it off the Taj Mahal…_ "Miss Lanai hasn't finished her story!"

"Oh, I will finish ze story anozzer time, Matin." Miss Lanai waved a hand negligently. "Go on wiz 'ot boy, you would nto want some ozzer girl stealing him if you are not zere!"

Serena opened her mouth to protest, but Miss Lanai would have none of it.

"Out! Out!" she chirped, ushering them both out into the hallway. "'ave fun, but not too much! Remember ze metro!"

Serena flushed. Darien colored slightly and raked a hand through his hair.

"So – to the arcade?"

"I guessh sho," said Serena, voice slightly slurred as she clutched her mouth. "I need to find Ami and Rei, though."

"What?" Darien spun on her. "Why? Did they call and forgive you?"

"No, but I've got something really important to tell them – "

"Tell them what?" Darien spat angrily. _Serena had better not be about to go and grovel at their feet for forgiveness – _"To go screw themselves?"

"Darien Shields!" gasped Serena.

"Honestly!" called a voice down the hallway. Serena and Darien spun around to face Principal Waishatsu striding down the hall. "The two of you are incorrigible! It's a SUNDAY! School is OUT! Why are you still here squabbling? Can't you just leave me ALONE!"

"Because – uh – "

"Never mind, I don't want to hear it. Don't ruin my good mood."

"Why are you in such a good mood?" asked Serena curiously. "Did they let you out of the hospital early?"

Principal Waishatsu sent Serena a very dirty look. He obviously had not forgotten last week when he had been taken to the hospital in an ambulance after having a heart attack because Darien sat at Serena's lunch table – an unheard-of occurrence. "_No._ Because I just got off the phone with a very rich stockholder who has said that she would like to sponsor a school trip to the museum to see the new geological exhibit!" The prinicpal rubbed his hands together. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"Geological exhibit?" Serena supressed a yawn. _Boooooring. I need to get out of here and find the girls…_ "Sounds like a blast." She rolled her eyes at Darien, but he seemed quite intent on the principal.

"There's a new geologic exhibit opening?"

"Yes." Principal Waishatsu nodded, adjusting his tie. "Funny thing is, I hadn't even heard about it until this sponsor told me about it, but it certainly fits perfectly with the sophomores' Earth Space unit on minerals!"

_Ugh, minerals. I forgot, I still have to finish that worksheet on metamorphi rocks for class…AH! WAIT! BAKA!_

"Wait! Geology – isn't that rocks?" blurted out Serena. "Like – crystals?"

"Duh, Odango Atama," said Darien absently.

Serena's eyes went, if possible, even wider. Principal Waishatsu cringed a bit, expecting her to lash out at Darien with some ear-shattering screech for calling her Odango Atama. But she didn't.

"So – only the sophomores are going?" asked Darien, a bit too nonchalantly.

"Oh, no!" replied Principal Waishatsu enthusiastically, relieved that Serena hadn't unleashed one of her wails. "The sponsor was quite insistent that all of our students be given the opportunity to have this wonderful experience! Sophomores, freshmen, seniors, and juniors alike will go!"

"When?" Darien demanded.

"Ah – Wednesday, I believe," replied the principal. "Since the sponsor is paying for everyone, all we need to do is collect permission slips. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to be going. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Mr. Shields, Miss Tsukino."

* * *

"Zoicite – you have set the trap?"

"_It is laid – and the school has walked right into it, My Queen."_

A new figure stirred from the shadows, gazing balefully at his queen and the female general who kneeled at her feet. "I do not like it."

"_Since when has My Queen required your approval?_"

The male tore his glittering eyes from Zoicite. The veins in his neck stood out like cords for a moment before they were covered by the sheet of bleached hair that fell to his shoulders. "Sailor Moon dropped that handkerchief. It may have belonged to her, it may have not. Assuming that it _was _her name embroidered on it, there is still nothing to say that Tuxedo Mask attends the same school as she does."

"_They are allies, you fool. It is what allies do. They stick together._"

The man's jaw tensed. "What is there to say that they are allies? He stood by and watched you beat her for information, Zoicite. That does not sound like the behavior of allies to me."

"_It was one occasion. If you have a better plan, you should have relayed it to My Queen."_

Queen Beryl watched her two remaining generals quarrel. A smile curved her lips. She ran her tongue across her fangs in satisfaction. The knowledge that she held the power to reduce two lovers like Zoicite and Malachite to _this_ pleased her immensely. If she could do this to them, imagine what havoc she would wreak with Serenity and Endymion, when she found them…

* * *

A/N: Okay, we're finally getting into some of the plot. Um, several things to address in this author's note:

a.) I feel as though Serena's character is not steady enough. One minute she's weepy, one minute she's tough. Is anyone else noticing this, or am I just paranoid?

b.) I AM going to – eventually – explain all that stuff Zoicite spouted off about hell and resurrection. So don't worry.

c.) The whole Spring Fling thing. Um, I feel really stupid, I must not have explained clearly. The Spring Fling I was talking about was the one that took place in Serena's freshman year, the one that happened before the events of STC. It was referred to a couple of times in the first chapters as the place that Serena gored a hole in Darien's foot for the first time. Um, so – now that that's cleared up, what are your opinions on a Spring Fling fic?

d.) Thank you SO MUCH, you guys, this has been such a horrible week for me, but all your reviews have been such a help. I wrote replies to most of you…look for your name!

**Cold Fate: **Daniel Radcliffe is sizzling. More sizzling even than Anakin Skywalker with a scar and long hair. However, I am glad that you prefer Johnny Depp, as it means less competition for me. I am also pleased that you think my story is twisty and dark. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

**FluffieGirlie**: I love your review. It's great.

**Revolutionnaire Rouge**: WAIIIIIII! ONIGIRI-CHAAAAAAAAAN!

I HATE YOUR LAPTOP! I HOPE IT TRIPS AND STUBS ITS TOE! (snicker, snicker) We – by which I mean me and all the people who live in my head – WANT TO READ THE REST OF YOUR NEW CHAPTER! (Wow, use capital letters much, Fai-chan?)

I am very depressed by this new turn of events. Now, not only can I not read your new chapter, but I am also not married to Daniel Radcliffe OR Anakin Skywalker OR the Yellow Ninja Storm Power Ranger. AND I haven't had any Diet Mountain Dew in over two weeks! We've only had regular, so to compensate for the extra calories, I have been chomping down on celery, and I'm convinced that it's adversely affecting my creativity. (That's my excuse for my less-than-pleasing chapters, anyways.) Anyhow, I'm going to have to work on Numa and Toki. My favorite character and fourteenth-favorite character (Numa and Toki, respectively) MUST NOT GET annoying! I would rather kill them off first! (Although I would hate to get rid of a great kisser like Asanuma – haha! Just kidding! Oh, man, I wish I hadn't made that joke now…)

**Neonlights**: Never worry about embarrassing yourself in front of me. ESPECIALLY over hot guys. I have fallen on my butt in a pile of leaves, fallen on my butt on a gym floor while clutching a basketball, tripped over my own foot while running the track, fallen on the bleachers, and been hit – TWICE – in the kisser with a soccer ball, and all of these events took place RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY CRUSH. So you don't need to worry about embarassing yourself. Believe me, I know all about it.

Anyways, as I was saying (Just shut up already, will you 8ofSwords? I'm sick of yer yappin!) I am totally willing to concede Tuxie to you if you give me Daniel Radcliffe. Serena might have a problem with it, though.

**MoonBunny777**: ALWAYS!

**Inufire**: Sweet name. I'm glad you liked Asanuma's line. He's such a ham. Too bad he's not real. I would SO have a crush on him.

**Wizardemon**: Babbling is fine. There's nothing wrong with babbling. Serena does it all the time. Anyways, if you've seen Star Wars with your "girlfriend," I hope you enjoyed it. (YOU BETTER HAVE!)

**Ishq**: BREAK! BREAK! BREAK! WOOOOHOOOO! I'm trying to update faster since it's summer, but I have to go back for a physics class in a couple of days, darn it! Stupid school. I'm glad you were affected by those people's deaths. I wasn't sure how it would work. And, um, sorry, but it's gonna be quite a while before Sere and Dare finally get together. I like the looong, drawn-out romances.

**the nadja**: it sucks when you do all the work and other people get the credit. I'm trying to put more angst and real life into the series than the anime or manga usually has, and I thought the best way to do that was with a.) death, and b.) more friction between the characters. Thanks a ton for reading!

**IssaLee**: I guess, since you're such an awesome writer and all, that I will be willing to share Daniel Radcliffe with you. When I wrote the chapter, I realized that Luna seemed uncharacteristically harsh, but this is a slightly A/U story. All shall be explained – I hope. As to your question…I wanted to explore the fallibility of the Senshi in this story. They ARE supposed to protect people – but people are going to die anyways. If the Dark Kingdom is really that great a threat, there's no way that they'r enot going to kill SOMEONE. Do I sound too full of myself?

Um – Jupiter hasn't joined Negaverse. Venus…well, we'll see.

**Eternalsenshicosmos**: I swear, you are, like, one of the most faithful readers EVER! I love you to death. I really get what you're saying about the story being so dark…I feel that way, too, and seventy-percent of the time, I don't like it, but like I said to **the nadja**, I want to make the series more realistic. When I started the series, I wasn't planning it as a comedy, it just kidn of evolved that way. Now it's returning to its roots – but you're also very right when you say Star Wars affected my brain. I came home, and I was like, "Ooh, I want to write something depressing!"

Um, okay, to your other review…I don't think you're rude at all. Pain hurts! (Wow, didn't that sound intellectual.) I hope you feel better soon. Um, when I was talking about the Spring Fling, I actually meant that it would be a fic from BEFORE STC, not later on in STC. I feel really stupid; I should have said that in the AN. But never mind. You'll see what I mean.

**Sailormoonhannah**: as soon as I am able, I will review your story. I read it the other day, and tried to review, but my PC was being stubborn…I'll have to re-read it, but at the moment, what I remember I was going to put in my review was that the story would be even more awesome if you put it in past tense instead of using present tense.

**CharmedSerenity3**: Love ya. Will upd8 ASAP. Thanx!

**MysteryLady-Tx: **Luna sux. I'm not sure quiet yet WHY, but I know she does. (S. Wright's magnificent fics have influenced me greatly) Thanks you so much for all yoru faithful rveviews; you don't know how much I appreciate them.

**Fleur the First**: I adore your name. It makes me think of Fleur Delacour. Are you taking French? I'm thrilled you're so worked up about Luna's treatment of Serena – it makes me feel like my story's having an impact.

**BLiberalQuestionAuthority**: LOOOOONG name. Arigatou for the review! Um, I wasn't really thinking that Serena was hearing Darien's subconscious thoughts. That's an intriguing idea, though…have you read the SM manga?

**Becx:** Thanks you SO MUCH for all your reviews! They're always so nice and long! My friend Jade-Eye and I had a conversation about how in the heck Luna gets off threatening to kick SM out. We think it's stupid and impossible – but you'll see what happens. My excuse for Sere not noticing her comm. was broken is that she didn't need to use it in the days between dropping it in the toilet and needing it at the movies. I'm glad you like Sere w/the guys. It's sad, but I feel like Numa and Toki – who are SUPPOSED to be the most minor characters in the fic – have more personality than Sere and Dare, who are SUPPOSED to be the main characters. Does it seem like that?

**Poisonmoon**: I know I've already said this, but I really, really, really like your name. I'm glad that you think my story's dramatic-ness is cool. I often worry that it comes out soap opera-ish.

**Bera-Moon**: Sere and Dare's identities will soon be revealed – although to whom, I will not tell. Seiko's annoying, I agree, but also essential for some plot progressions. Sometimes I feel sorry for him – I mean, he's an okay kid, just not Darien. But Numa has no mercy!

**Serenity-hime**: I must check out your new story POST-HASTE. I keep seeing it, then getting called to dinner, or forced to do homework (blech). You noted that I used subtlety to point out the casualties – you are a GENIUS. I just finished reading _Lord of the Flies_ for English, and I was wondering what it was about the novel that made it so much more wrenching and realistic than other things I've read, and I realized that it was because Golding uses such understatement. So I decided to try it…still not very good, though. As always, can't say thanks enough for your reviews. You're my mentor!

**Moonmore**: Thanx 4 being so understanding!

**Il0verice**: thaaaaaaaaanks!

**Rose Zen**: I HATE SM ACTION! It's so annoying to try to write a romance between Darien and Serena, and then realize, "Oh, I've gotta have a battle scene," and have to puzzle out all the awkwardness and uncertainty between Moon and Mask. It SUCKS. But it will soon be better, I promise…

I totally took what you were saying to heart about Serena believing she was worthless overdramatizing the chapter. I have to admit that I'm not as in touch with her character in this fic as I was in "His Grin," and it feels like I'm recycling a lot of the same stuff. But I AM attempting to fix it.

**Jojodacrow**: Love getting a review from you. You're always so professional – no offense to anyone else. Glad you don't think it's TOO dark. I WAS going to have the person Dare uncoverd be Seiko, but I realized that the guilt Serena would feel from that would take the story in a direction that I, as a writer, don't have the maturity to take. Wish I could, though.

**Whitey9h**: I can't wait either!

**Meg-of-the-Moon**: (sigh) I know. I'm returning to the Dark Side. It's horrible. All that hot Anakin Skywalker's fault. I'm tossing around the ideas for a new story in my head though. It won't be extremely depressing, it'll be more like "His Grin," but with a slightly different premise and direction. What do you think?

I'll hafta check out your homepage and rate Baka. Hope your cold goes away soon!

**Starlit Warrior**: The infamous handkerchief. Da da daaaa! I know, I use it way too often as a plot device.

**Lady of Masbolle**: Why, thank yuh kindly, mum. I shall.

**Sirenic Griffin**: Yay! You approve! Thank you soooooo much!

**Lost Inside**: Splendid!

**Hidden Sovereign:** Score!

**Digitaldawn**:You're so sweet… (wipes away tear)

**Red-Rose18**: Finally! Someone who understands!

**themonekychow**: I get what you're saying. The juxtaposition IS a little too intense.

**SeleneA:** I was talking about House of Wax. It was the only horror movie I could think of at the moment. I like your word – changbang. Changbang. Ooh, it's fun to say! May I use it?

**Lucious**: Wow, you're so NICE! (Flattery will get you EVERYWHERE with EightofSwords.) Um, basically everything I've written of any literary worth is on so if you wanna read my other stuff, check out my profile. Thank you very much!


	18. Masks

**A/N:** I think you'll like this chapter. I really do. Sorry the chapter took so long, though. My laptop crashed, and I've been stressed out over various things…

**Disclaimer:** This chapter's being typed in a hurry because I'm on the run from the coppers. (I've been telling people I own Sailor Moon. Hey, is it my fault that they believe me?)

* * *

Subject to Change

Chapter Eighteen

* * *

_The previous night:_

"You mean that…Serena's defected? To the Dark Kingdom?"

Ami's voice quavered as she spoke. Her hands glistened brightly in the dancing light of the Great Fire, looking as though they were made of ice. They were actually just coated with the hand sanitizer that Ami had poured in globs onto her palm as she anxiously listened to Luna's narrative.

"I'm afraid so," said Luna gravely. Her whiskers quivered, and Ami could only conclude that it was because she was so shocked and frightened by Serena's betrayal.

"I can't believe it," murmured Ami. "Serena…she's barely got the courage to stand up against the youma, much less join them. Why would she do a thing like that?"

"Cause she's a lazy, worthless bum, that's why," growled Rei. She lifted yet another manga into her lap and snapped open the lighter in her hand. The tiny flame lit her eyes with a manic fire, and she lifted the lighter so that the flame licked the underside of the comic book. The manga, one of the many that Serena had lent of given to her over the past couple of months, began to melt and twist and curl in the fire.

"Oh my God!" shrieked Ami, flailing her arms around in an attempt to dissipate the clouds of smoke curling up from the melting manga. "Rei! How COULD you? Second-hand smoke is DEADLY! Now we're all going to die!" Ami resolutely pressed her lips shut, cheeks puffed up with clean air, and reached with a groping gesture into her Subspace pocket. She pulled out a huge gas mask, which she then affixed to her face.

Luna knit her (invisible) eyebrows. "Could we _concentrate_, please?"

Rei rolled her eyes and tossed aside the destroyed manga, then selected another from the pile of manga that lay at her feet. "They probably offered her a date with Tuxedo Mask if she'd work with them."

"Rei…" Ami's protest came out muffled and distorted through her gas mask.

Rei threw Ami a sour glance. "What? It's true! You know she cares more about him than us any day."

"That's…not true…"

Rei snorted. "Get a grip, Ami. Of course it is. You've seen how she looks at him."

"But she was aware of the high possibility of him being an enemy! We informed her!"

"And obviously she didn't care." Rei threw aside another decimated manga. "I saw some footage from the youma attack at the movie theater. One of the security cameras in the back of the theater caught some of the battle. Zoicite was there, and Tuxedo Mask, and Sailor Moon talked to both of them."

"Ami," began Luna seriously, locking eyes with the blue-haired teen. "I know that this must hurt you deeply. And that is okay. It's okay for you to be mad, or sad – what's important is that you keep away from Serena. She may have received new powers from the Dark Kingdom, and there is a very good chance that she will try to harm you or even persuade you to join her. So you must avoid her. Both of you. If she calls, hang up. If you see her in the street, go the opposite way. Have I made myself clear?"

Ami nodded slowly. "Yes, Luna. We can't allow Serena to impede our searching for the Princess or the Silver Crystal."

"Rei?" Luna turned her cinnabar gaze to the priestess.

Rei's violet eyes flashed. "I understand. We won't tolerate a traitor."

* * *

_The next day:_

"I never knew you were so interested in rocks, Serena," remarked Darien, arching an eyebrow as they walked away from the school after their conversation with Principal Waishatsu.

"Uhhh – of course I am!" exclaimed Serena hastily. "I love rocks! Diamonds and sapphires and emeralds – rocks rock!" She attempted a weak smile.

"Ha ha." Darien knitted his fingers behind his neck. "So, you're headed to the arcade, right? For your usual Sunday smorgasbord?"

"Jerkwad!"

"Hey, it's true!" he dodged her swipe. "Besides, you look like you could use the sugar."

"I do?" Serena glanced down at herself.

"Yeah, you look tired." Darien shot her a furtive glance. "Did you even sleep at all? I bet you were up all night stressing over Ami and Rei, weren't you?"

Serena's lips compressed. At times like last night, Darien's acute perception was helpful and even comforting, but at times like this…it wasn't. It just made her life more complicated. He was too smart to be fooled by her smiles.

"You were," said Darien, reading her expression. "Well, not today. Come on, let's go to the arcade, and you can drool over Andrew or some other 'hottie.'" He crooked his fingers into quote marks as he said it.

"I do NOT think Andrew is hot!" protested Serena, face flushing.

He shot her an amused glance. "You were singing a different tune a few weeks ago."

Serena averted her eyes sheepishly. "Well, I was young. Blinded by Motoki's two thousand watt smile."

Darien snorted. "More like blinded by his potential as a lifelong supply of free milkshakes."

"DARIEN! What happened to not teasing each other!"

Darien stopped walking abruptly. So abruptly that Serena collided nose-first with his shoulder.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" she demanded in a nasal voice. "Hasn't my nose suffered enough for one day?"

"Do you really want me to stop?"

Serena blinked. _Why is his head hanging like that? Why does he sound so…cold all of a sudden?_ "What?"

"I said I wouldn't hurt you anymore." He was still talking to the sidewalk, eyes hidden by his black bangs. "I guess that means teasing. I shouldn't have said that. I'll stop. I'm sorry."

"What?" Serena's lips parted. _God, he sounds like me!_ "No! Darien, I was just making a joke! I wasn't serious!"

"But you're right. I need to stop making fun of you." Blue eyes glinted out from between two hanks of black hair, cool and distant.

"No!" Serena panicked. _He finally went back to how we were before all that drama – we can't go back to being awkward now! Not when Ami and Rei aren't talking to me! _"No, I didn't say that!"

"Can we just forget this?" Darien lifted his head and stared determinedly past her. "Please?"

"But I – no!" Serena darted around to stand in front of him, ponytails flapping. "I don't want you to stop making fun of me! It's not fun when you don't make fun of me! It feels…weird."

Seeing no change in his taut face, she continued earnestly, grabbing his shirt sleeve. "Look, Darien, you were the one who said that when you yell at me or act short with me, it means that you trust me enough to express your emotions. Well, _I _trust you enough with my feelings not to hurt them. That's part of friendship, too – isn't it?" Her voice was suddenly uncertain. _Maybe I don't know what friendship's about. Who am I to preach about friendship, when most of my friends aren't even talking to me right now?_

When Darien didn't answer, Serena's uncertainty deepened further. She let go of his sleeve and shuffled backwards. Already, she could feel a wall rising up between them again, thicker and taller than ever before.

"**I'm sorry**."

Serena jerked up in surprise. Her eyes caught Darien's equally stunned eyes. They had spoken their apologies at the same time – not an uncommon occurrence, but one that seemed to hold more power than the other times it had happened.

"Jinx?" Darien's voice hesitated.

Serena smiled. "Jinx."

They began to walk again, slowly, as though picking their way through the rubble of some crumbled wall. It was silent, but it was a content silence, a relaxed silence.

A silence that was, uncharacteristically, broken by Darien.

"It feels weird when I don't make fun of you?" he murmured.

Serena shrugged her shoulder, blushing slightly. "Yeah. I mean, if we're not friendly enemies, what are we?"

"Gee, I don't know," said Darien, slightly sarcastic. "Friends, maybe?"

"Well – yeah," muttered Serena, twirling a golden curl timidly around her finger. "I just didn't want to say that…you know, out loud. In case you'd changed your mind or something."

_Funny. I never pictured Serena as being that unsure – not when it comes to me. She actually spared time to wonder whether I had changed my mind about being friends?_

A chuckle escaped his throat. "Odango, you think too much."

"Look who's talking," grumbled Serena.

"I thought it was only me."

Serena looked up curiously.

"Only you who what?"

"Who thought it felt weird when we weren't arguing."

"Then why didn't you say something!"

"The same reason you didn't want to call us friends." He scrubbed the back of his neck with the heel of his hand. "Too proud, too afraid. I didn't want to reveal how I felt if you didn't feel the same way."

"Life would be a whole lot easier if we didn't all wear masks all the time," murmured Serena softly, staring into space. _Tuxedo Mask…I need to know who you are. I need to know if I can trust you._

"Hmm, those words sound familiar," remarked Darien sarcastically. "Where did you hear them?"

"Actually, this supergeek I know from school told it to me. Maybe you've seen him in the mirror? He's tall, has lots of hair growing out of his nose, wears his pants up to here – "

"ODANGO!"

Serena squealed as Darien grabbed her by a pigtail.

"Oh, look at that cute couple!" exclaimed a matronly woman emerging from a shoe store half a block away. "Simply _adorable!_ Don't they just remind you of us at that age, Harold?"

Darien's hand dropped Serena's ponytail as quickly as if it was a cobra. Refusing to look at each other, Serena and Darien marched stiffly into the arcade as quickly as they could.

"Welcome, weary pilgrims!" Motoki flicked a washcloth at them in greeting. "Back so soon, huh, Dare?"

"What's eating the two of you?" inquired Asanuma, waltzing out of the supply closet with a mop. Motoki must have bribed him to help with spring cleaning again. "You look like you just guzzled a bottle of lemon juice. Of course, Dare always looks like that, but…"

"Wait, wait, wait, I think I know what happened," interceded Motoki. He watched Serena and Darien plop down in stools. "Someone mistook you two for a couple again, didn't they?"

"Darien regarded Motoki suspiciously, then leaned back to glare past Serena at Asanuma. "I thought you promised that you two weren't stalking me."

"No, I said _I _wasn't stalking you," corrected Asanuma impishly. "Whatever Motoki does in his spare time, on the other hand…"

"Oh, _please_," interjected Motoki. "Unlike you two girlfriend-less losers, I actually have a life." (A/N: But Reika has yet to show up in this fic…)

Asanuma cackled gleefully. "Is that so? Then why were you stalking a teenage girl at the movie theaters yesterday instead of going out on a date with your precious Reika?"

"Hey, that was your idea! And Dare did it, too!"

"Toki, Toki, Toki," tsked Asanuma. "I see that your parents have never used the jumping off a bridge scenario on you. You can't do everything your friends do. I mean, come on, if Dare and I told you to walk into a Victoria's Secret and ask to try on a thong, would you do it?"

"OF COURSE I WOULD!" bellowed Motoki. "I did it the last time we played Truth or Dare!"

"You did?" Asanuma frowned in concentration. "Are you sure? I'm pretty sure I would have remembered something like that so I could use it for blackmail material…oh, wait, I remember now." He smacked his forehead. "That was the game of Truth or Dare when Ichiji dared me to chug a bottle of sake! No WONDER I didn't remember!"

Serena gaped in horror. "Asanuma! You drank alcohol?"

"Yeah, so?" Asanuma shrugged innocently. "It was still better than what Dare did."

"Do I want to know?" asked Serena, arching an eyebrow.

Darien smirked slyly. A booth of girls a few feet away swooned and fainted. "Let's just say it broke a couple of laws and leave it at that."

"Yup!" Asanuma slapped Darien soundly on the back. "That's our Dare! Hot, law-abiding piece of manflesh by day; hot, law-_breaking_ piece of manflesh by night!"

"I don't know if I feel comfortable with you touching me anymore," muttered Darien, scooting away from Asanuma so that a wide-eyed Serena was between them. _Especially since he hit pretty close to the mark with that law-breaking by night part._

"Oh, he's just pretending," Asanuma told Serena. "He knows I love it when he plays hard to get."

"Hey!" Motoki's sudden exclamation startled all three of the high-schoolers. They swung about to face him, Serena's ponytails slapping Darien in the face. He growled and batted them away. She tilted her head back to stick out her tongue at him.

"I thought of it!" announced Motoki proudly.

"Thought of what?" Serena, Darien, and Asanuma demanded, all rather irritably – Serena because her nose still throbbed and also because she had yet to get the milkshake she had been promised; Darien because Asanuma had been flirting with him, and that was enough to make even the Dalai Lama crabby; and Asanuma because his torture of Darien had been interrupted.

"Remember that time I said stranger things could happen than Dare having a crush on Serena, but I couldn't come up with anything?" Motoki said excitedly. "Well, I've thought of something!"

Darien rolled his eyes. _Second time today someone has brought up me and Serena being romantically involved. No, third. Or maybe fourth? God, I can't even keep track anymore. I need more coffee. Or sleep. At this point, either would be heaven._

Motoki thrust his index finger into the air. "If Darien had a crush on Asanuma!"

There was Silence. Not even crickets croaked. Then every head in the arcade – except Motoki's and Asanuma's – sweatdropped.

Darien groaned and buried his face in his hands. "You have GOT to be kidding me."

"_I_ don't think it's that impossible." Asanuma struck a pose. "After all, Orlando Bloom ain't got nothin' on me, baby."

Only one girl in the arcade swooned and fainted at Asanuma's flexing, as compared to Darien's twelve. The others just made gagging sounds.

"_I_ think you're handsome, Asanuma," said Serena loyally.

"Oh, Serena-chan, you're such a good friend!" cried Asanuma, throwing his arms around the blonde. He pulled back and waggled his eyebrows at her. "Or maybe more?"

Motoki grinned. "Asanuma, I don't think it's wise to flirt with Darien's girl right in front of him like that."

Asanuma flipped his hair back. "Hey, if I can flirt with Darien, I can flirt with Darien's girl. Right, Serena-chan?"

"Wrong." Serena yawned. "Can I have my milkshake now?"

"And I want some caffeine," added Darien.

But Motoki and Asanuma were gaping at them. "Are you guys seriously going out? For real?"

"_No_," said Darien exasperatedly. "How many times do we have to tell you before it sinks in?"

"It was just…you guys didn't seem very enthusiastic in correcting us when we called Serena you girl. Usually you start screeching like a bunch of howler monkeys."

"Why waste the energy?" retorted Darien. "You two never listen to us anyways."

"Can I PLEASE have my milkshake now?" whined Serena. _Man, these guys talk more than we girls ever have._ "I don't have all daaaaaay…"

"What else could you possible have to do today?" asked Darien lazily. "Other than your daily collision with a brick wall., I mean."

"If I wanted to do that, I could just walk into you, dimwit," retorted Serena snidely. She smiled widely as she said it. Ah, it was so good to be back to normal. "I'm going to the temple."

Darien's whole demeanor changed suddenly. From languid and relaxed as he lounged against the counter to tense and coiled like a spring as he leaned forward. "Don't tell me you're going to go prostrate yourself in front of Rei and beg her to forgive you."

"Shields, don't make me mad at you _again,_" warned Serena, leaning forward in kind, jutting her chin out defiantly.

"I'm just trying to keep you from getting hurt. That's what friends _do_, in case you'd forgotten."

"And I guess _you_'ve forgotten that I'm not supposed to do something just because someone else wants me to do it."

"It's not fair for you to keep throwing my own advice back in my face, Odango." He gritted out through clenched teeth.

"Would you rather I threw something else in your face?" Serena challenged. "A banana split, maybe?"

"Only if you feel like wearing nachos and cheese," countered Darien.

"Guys, guys, guys!" Asanuma wriggled in between the two. "Calm down, will you? No one's going to wear banana splits or nachos unless they want me licking the leftovers off them."

Serena and Darien immediately sprang apart.

"EWWWWW!" shrieked Serena.

"It burns!" groaned Darien, trying to banish the mental image from his head.

"Hey, it got the two of you to stop chewing on each others' faces, didn't it?" Asanuma crossed his arms smugly.

Serena gulped. "I think I'm gonna hurl."

Darien, meanwhile, glared at Asanuma. "We weren't THAT close."

"Hey, if you don't believe me, you can check out the security camera." Asanuma's eyes lit up. "I'm a genius! Quick, Toki, get the video! If we make copies of that and sell them at school, we'll be RICH!"

"You're right!" Motoki dropped his washrag and sprang over the counter, hopping on top of a table to reach the security camera. A high school couple – seniors, Serena was pretty sure – sat at the table; the boy sent Motoki a venomous glare, while the girl stared appreciatively at Motoki's, uh, milkshake.

Motoki jumped back down off the table, brandishing the video cassette triumphantly. "Wait till everyone gets a load of this!"

"You know what?" Darien said to Serena, laying his head on his arms "I'm too tired to even care anymore."

Serena yawned again, eyelids drooping. "Me…too…zzzzzz…"

"Motoki!" Asanuma stared in shock at the two. "They fell asleep!"

"No way!" Motoki peered under Serena's bangs, then Darien's. "You're right. I told you Darien was smashed."

Asanuma frowned. "Well, this is no fun. Unless…" his eyes slanted evilly. "Anyone have a Polaroid?"

Motoki reached behind the counter.

* * *

Serena drifted awake half an hour later. Her eyes remained closed for a moment, as she tried to figure out what felt so weird. _Has my pillow always been this silky? I thought my pillowcase was cotton…_

She opened her eyes.

And screamed.

And scrambled backwards.

"Why, good morning, Usa," said Motoki cheerfully, smiling at her while he dried a shake glass. "Or good afternoon, actually. Did you have a nice sleep?"

"I – I – I – " stammered Serena, eyes flicking from the cheerful, acting-as-though-nothing-was-unusual-at-all Motoki to the ebony head resting on the counter top – the ebony head she'd just been sleeping on top of! _How in the heck did I end up sleeping on top of Darien! Oh, God, did I drool in his hair? PLEASE don't let me have drooled in his hair…_

She craned her neck this way and that, trying to see whether she had or not, but his night-black hair was too dark to discern any wet spots. "Uh – did I – I guess I fell asleep, huh?"

"Ye-e-e-s," said Motoki, still smiling broadly.

Serena smiled back, trying to act as though nothing had happened. _Good thing it's Toki-onii-chan and not Numa, he'd NEVER let me leave this down…_ "Um, where's Asanuma?"

"Asanuma? He had to go get some pictures developed."

"For what?" asked Serena curiously.

"For what?" Motoki blinked, then blanched. "For what. Oh. Um – for his photography course. Yes. Asanuma's very interested in photography." Motoki giggled.

"Okay," said Serena, giggling back in an attempt to act normal, even though Toki was seriously starting to freak her out. "Um – what time is it, Toki?"

"Two o'clock," answered Motoki, his giggles dying down as he glanced at his watch. "You want some lunch, Usa?"

"Two o'clock!" yelped Serena. "No, no lunch, thanks, Motoki-onii-chan – I've got to go! Seeyouplasedon'ttellanyoneabotumefallingasleepondarienpleasepleasepleasepleasepleasei'llloveyouforeverifyoudon'ttellanyonebye!"

Motoki blinked. "Bye, Usa-chan!" He began to giggle madly again and reached into the freezer. Fishing out a piece of ice, he crossed around to the front of the counter and slipped the cube of frozen water down Darien's shirt collar.

"AAAAAOOOWWWWARGGGHH!" Darien shot up a mile in the air and landed on his rear on the floor. "MOTOKIIIIIIIII!"

Asanuma barreled in through the automatic doors, brandishing a small bag. "I GOT 'EM! I GOT 'EM!"

"Got WHAT?" snarled Darien, rubbing his bottom.

Asanuma stopped dead, staring at Darien, and suddenly stuffed the bag in his mouth. "What bag?" he said, but it came out sounding like, "Warhabah?"

"THAT bag," snapped Darien, tackling Asanuma to the floor and attempting to pry his jaws apart. "GIVE IT TO ME! WHAT IS IT!"

"Oh, my!" exclaimed one mother in a booth, covering her daughter's eyes with a hand and whisking her out of the café. "And I thought this was a FAMILY-FRIENDLY establishment!"

"Uh…we cater to all types?" said Motoki weakly. He hastily untied his apron and tore it off, then began beating Darien and Asanuma with it. "Stop it, you guys! You're scaring away the customers! Get up! I've got egg salad and I'm not afraid to use it!"

All thrashing stopped. Darien let go of Asanuma's collar, and Asanuma lowered Darien's leg from his teeth.

"Toki…not egg salad…" he whimpered.

"Shut up and take it like a man, Numa!" bellowed Motoki. He shook his head disgustedly and shrugged his apron back on. "Honestly, you two are such _girls_ sometimes."

"This coming from a man in an apron," griped Asanuma.

"Hey, wait a second," said Darien suddenly, looking around. "Where's the Odango?"

Asanuma took advantage of Darien's distraction to quickly dig the saliva-saturated bag from his mouth and pass it to Motoki, who stashed it in his apron. By the time Darien's eyes returned to them, they were standing motionlessly, looking innocent as Cabbage Patch dolls.

"Where's that bag?" Darien demanded.

"I swallowed it," answered Asanuma, perfectly straight-faced. "Toki, you wouldn't happen to have any laxatives behind that counter of yours, would you?"

"No, Numa, they're OVER the counter!" exclaimed Motoki, looking particularly proud of himself. "HAHAHAHA!"

"OH! That was a good one! HAHAHAHA! Gimme five, man!" Asanuma slapped Motoki's palm. "We'll make a pun master of you yet!"

"I'll never understand how you two made it all the way to the eleventh grade," muttered Darien. "Seriously, where's Serena, Toki?"

"Aw, let me savor this moment, Darien…" Motoki whined.

"You're gonna be savoring a knuckle sandwich in a minute if you don't answer my question," said Darien threateningly.

"And here we see the Dare-bear entering protective mode," narrated Asanuma. He elbowed Motoki. "You better just tell him, man, he looks scary." Leaning in closer, he whispered seriously, "Remember his _eyes_…"

"Oh." Motoki straightened. "She, uh, just left like ten minutes ago."

"Where?"

Motoki frowned. "She didn't say. But wasn't she talking about going to the temple earlier?"

Darien dashed off in a cloud of dust.

* * *

"Chad!" Serena ran up the temple steps. "Is Rei here? Or Ami?"

Chad looked at her uncertainly from under his mop of brown hair. "Uh…look, you know it's, like, nothing personal, Serena, but Rei said I'm not supposed to, like, talk to you."

Serena gulped back tears. _Are they still mad at me for Saturday? Or did Luna get to them? If I can just talk to them…I NEED to talk to them…I NEED to know…_

Needless to say, Chad was "like, totally shell-shocked, dude," when tiny, kind Serena darted past him into the temple. He turned with his broom to watch her disappear, then went to hide in the woods beside the shrine. Rei was _so _going to set his hair on fire again…

Panting, Serena skidded to a stop in front of Rei's room. She wrenched open the door. "Guys – "

Rei turned around. Her violet eyes flashed fire, and in less than a second, she had sprung to her feet as agilely as a tigress. A column of fire engulfed her figure and whooshed out of existence a moment later, leaving a transformed Sailor Mars in Rei's place.

"Get out," she hissed.

"Rei, listen! Luna's been – "

"MRRRRRRRRRRRREEEOOWW!"

A black blur sped into Serena's face. Serena stumbled backwards in shock, and felt the exhalations of displaced air whoosh into her face.

"GET OUT!" screeched Luna murderously, landing on Rei's carpet with flashing eyes and flashing claws.

Serena lifted a trembling hand to her face. Disbelief flood her veins; fear froze them. Luna had gotten to Rei. She'd gotten to Rei – but maybe she hadn't gotten to Ami? Hope niggled into the back of her mind. She had to find Ami, then, had to warn Ami, and Ami would know what to do, how to convince Rei that Luna was keeping secrets from them –

Luna lunged again. Serena spun and ran, feet pounding thunderously on the wooden floor of the temple. Only when she was outside, at the foot of the steps, did she stop, and turn around to look behind her. _She would have killed me. She would kill me. _Luna was no longer following, clearly trusting that Serena's cowardice would keep her from trying to re-enter and talk to Rei.

A pair of hands grabbed Serena's forearms. Fear jolted Serena's heart as though it had been jumpstarted. She screamed.

"Serena!" Darien spun her around to face him. Her eyes widened further, then fluttered half-closed in relief. _Luna would have killed me._ _Oh, God, what's happened to us?_ "Serena, what's wrong!"

Serena forced her eyes open and pasted on a shaky smile. _Let this one fool him, please, just this once…_ "Nothing. I just thought there was a lizard on my leg." She giggled. "Pretty stupid, huh?"

"Good God, you're giggling," Darien muttered.

She blinked. "Huh?"

He just shook his head and transferred his grip to her wrist. "Nothing. Was Rei home?"

She shook her head slowly, very careful not to break eye contact with him. He would know for sure she was lying then. "No…um, she's out with Chad, her grandpa said."

"Good," said Darien. "C'mon, we're leaving."

"O – okay." Serena allowed him to lead her away. She failed to notice the glance he shot over his shoulder at her.

_She's such a liar. Rei must have been home, or she wouldn't be this shaken. She'd never let me boss her around like this otherwise._

_God, Odango, why do you have to keep putting yourself through all this?_

* * *

_Monday morning_:

"Now that we've finished reading the play, we're going to talk about who was really to blame for Romeo and Juliet's deaths," announced Mrs. Takenouchi. "There's several prevalent points of view. Some people say it was their parents' faults, others that it was the nurse's faults, others that it was the friar's fault, and still others who believe Romeo and Juliet themselves were to blame – Serena, please lift your head up and pay attention."

Dully, Serena obeyed to the first half of Mrs. Takenouchi's command, propping her cheek on her hand. She paid little attention the class, though – she was too busy thinking of yesterday's events.

Luna would have killed her. That, without a doubt, Serena was sure of. At that moment when Serena stood in the doorway, trying to convince Sailor Mars to listen to her, Luna would have torn her face to shreds before she let Serena reveal what Zoicite had told her.

And that was why as soon as this class was over, Serena was going to find Ami. She would have searched for her yesterday, except that Darien had dropped her off at home and told her mother that she had fallen asleep in the middle of the arcade. Her mother took one look at her wan face before marching her upstairs and tucking her into bed. She must have dissolved some sleeping pills in the warm milk she gave Serena to drink, because the next thing Serena knew, it was Monday morning and she was about to be late for Literature.

Despite all this, she couldn't find it in her heart to be mad at Darien. Not after how sweet and friendly he had been over the past few days…

"…to commit suicide if she couldn't be with Romeo. This puts double the blame on the Friar because in the Catholic religion – and many others, actually – those who commit suicide are automatically destined for hell. Therefore, by giving Juliet the means to kill herself, he was condemning her to – Miss Tsukino, are you asleep _again_?"

"Huh?" Serena jolted up.

Mrs. Takenouchi sighed in exasperation. "Okay, everyone, put away your notes. We have a field trip to discuss. As some of you may have heard, the whole school is taking a trip to the museum on Wednesday. Here are your permission slips – " She walked about the room, passing out the pink sheets. " – which are due_ tomorrow_. Don't forget them unless you want to have bathroom-cleaning duty for the rest of the semester. Now, since the whole school is going, Principal Waishatsu has said that you will be able to pick your groups. When the bell rings, I shall dismiss you to go find your friends and sign up for your groups in the library. Groups of four, no exceptions. Got it?"

"YES!" chorused the class happily.

_And here's yet another thing to worry about,_ thought Serena. _This new geologic exhibit…is it possible that the Silver Crystal will be there? If it is, and if I beat the Dark Kingdom to it, what will I do with it? Will I take it to Luna?_

_Maybe…maybe I shouldn't even bother trying to find it…_

**BRRRING!**

"Class dismissed!" announced Mrs. Takenouchi.

Serena followed the flood of students out into the hallway, still absorbed by her own thoughts. The idea that she should not even look for the Silver Crystal…

_Well, first things first, Serena. Find a group._

She spotted Molly's familiar red hair a few yards away.

"Molly!" she called, feeling rather guilty. "Can I be in your group for the field trip?" _Since, you know, Ami might still be too mad at me to be in my group?_

Molly turned around. "Serena! Oh my gosh! I'm really sorry, but Melvin and I have already signed up to be in a group with Saul and Kim – I mean, I thought you'd be going with Ami!"

Hurt washed over Serena, accompanied by shame. Bad enough to be begging a friend you had ignored to take you back, even worse to be rejected. But in no way did she blame Molly. It was her fault, and hers alone.

"Serena, I – "

Serena jolted up at Molly's stutter, and realized that now _Molly_ felt guilty. _No, don't you feel bad, too, Molly!_ "Oh, it's okay, don't worry, Mol!" Serena said hastily.

"Are you sure?" asked Molly anxiously. "I can always tell Melvin I need to change groups…"

Serena felt tears prick her eyes for a moment. She didn't deserve someone as loyal and kind as Molly for a friend.

"No, no, no!" she insisted. "It's okay. I'll be fine. You just have fun with Melvin, okay?" Flashing the sly smile that was required of a friend teasing her pal about a boyfriend, she quickly slipped away into the crowd before Molly could change her mind.

But unluckily for poor Serena, she escaped the frying pan only to walk straight into the fire.

"Serena!"

She spun, thinking that perhaps the eager male voice belonged to Asanuma or Motoki – the latter, especially, loved to call her name in the hallway so that all Serena's fellow sophomores would sigh in jealousy over how Serena was so familiar with a _junior _– but was faced with a familiar face surrounded by russet curls

"Seiko," she greeted him weakly. _I swear this kid has depressed-Serena sensors – or maybe I'm just depressed too much lately. I need to work on fixing that. _

"I've been looking all over for you!" Seiko exclaimed.

"Have you?" said Serena faintly.

"Yeah, I have!" Seiko seemed faintly irritated; he kept blowing his hair out of his eyes. "Where did you go on Saturday? One minute you're right next to me, then poof! you're gone! That corny caped guy didn't do anything to you, did he?" He peered at her suspiciously.

Now it was Serena's turn to feel annoyed. How dare he imply that Tuxedo Mask would ever take advantage of her! Sure, maybe she had her suspicions that he wasn't actually an ally of the Sailor Senshi, but that didn't mean that Seiko could drag his name through mud! _Seiko _had never been in Tuxedo Mask's secure embrace or heard his wry, heart-strumming voice as it tickled her – on in Seiko's case, his – ear.

At least, she was pretty sure that Seiko hadn't experienced these things. Serena grimaced slightly as she pictured Tuxedo Mask wrapping his arm around Seiko and whispering into his ear. She shuddered. _SO disturbing._

"Are you cold?" Seiko's voice interrupted her musing. He started to shrug off his bulky varsity jacket. "Here, wear this –

"No, no, that's okay." Serena shook her head vigorously. "I was just, um, thinking about that youma on Saturday. That was _really_ scary." _Almost as scary as that horror flick you so kindly failed to warn me about_, she thought acerbically. "I was lucky that Tuxedo Mask was there, or I would be a pancake right now." _A pan cake with a side helping of smushed dumplings._ "I'm sorry I didn't meet up with you again – Tuxedo Mask told me to run, and I was just so, um, scared – " _This is some REALLY bad lying you're doing, Serena. There's no way he's gonna buy this…_

But Seiko did buy it. Or rather, Serena suddenly realized, he just hadn't really been listening. Almost as soon as she finished making her lame excuse, he said, "Yeah, well, that was a really sucky date."

_DATE!_

"So how about I make it up to you? The carnival's coming this weekend – hey, are you even listening to me?"

"Huh?" Serena mumbled, glancing at him before returning to squinting across the packed hallway. There it was, that flash of blue again –

"Ami!" she shouted and darted forward, slipping through and past knots of people. "Ami, wait!"

The blue-haired genius turned. Her eyes locked with Serena's, and a chill made its way down Serena's spine, sweeping goosebumps along her skin. Now she understood why Ami was called the Senshi of Ice.

But she couldn't let that stop her. Serena steeled her resolve. She _had_ to tell Ami what Luna was up to.

"Ami, listen, I've got to tell you something!"

Ami turned, closed her locker, and began to stride quickly away. Serena hurried forward, but someone jostled past her and grabbed Ami roughly by the elbow.

"Hey," growled Seiko to the genius he'd just seized. "Answer her when she's talking to you!"

"Hey!" Serena cried out, hardly believing her eyes. _He did NOT just do that to Ami!_ "Let go of her!"

She leapt forward – but someone beat her to it!

"Lay off, Seiko! God!" Asanuma shoved Seiko away from Ami. "What kind of wuss are you? Beating up on girls!"

"Hey, I was just – "

"Jut what? Pretending you were Mike Tyson?"

"Shut up, Itto! Why are YOU defending the Queen of Brains, anyway? You got a crush on her or something?" Seiko tugged his varsity jacket back into place.

"Just get outta here," bit out Asanuma. "You're not wanted."

Seiko's lip curled. "Shows how much you know, Itto. Why don't _you_ leave so that my girlfriend and I can finish our conversation?"

_GIRLFRIEND!_

"This conversation's already over," snapped Serena, glaring up at Seiko.

Seiko blinked, curls falling into his face. "What do you mean – ?"

"She means she doesn't have anything to say to you." Darien stepped out of the English lab to stand behind Serena. "Please leave now, Seiko."

"Yeah. No means no," snickered Seiko.

Serena cast him a searching glance, noting how quickly the jokester had gone from I'm-gonna-rip-your-throat-out to I'm-laughing-at-what-a-moron-you-are. _I swear_ _Asanuma has more mood swings than a pregnant woman._

"If you want her, why don't you just come out and say it, Shields?" Seiko's hands clenched. "You've had your opportunity, man. Now stop interfering and give the rest of us a chance at having her."

Darien's dark eyes flicked to Serena's. He looked slightly expectant…and slightly angry.

Serena returned his gaze for a moment, feeling her stomach churn. Nausea swept through her at the thought of someone believing that he could control her…that he could own her like some toy. She wasn't that powerless. She wasn't that worthless! She was a _person_!

She swept her glare back to Seiko again.

"Have me?" she repeated. "Like I'm some _thing_?"

"No! I just meant – "

"I know exactly what you meant." Serena's face hardened. "And I don't like it. Please go away."

The fight drained from Seiko's face. He suddenly looked like a poor, defeated little boy who had lost his ice cream. Serena's heart lurched guiltily, and she suddenly opened her mouth, most likely to apologize and say she hadn't meant what she'd said –

But a hand landed on her shoulder. She glanced up to see Darien staring straight at her. He was so close that she could see her own reflection in the dark blue of his eyes. He knew what she felt obligated to do. And he wasn't going to make her stop. He was just reminding her that she had a choice. He was just reminding her that she was human.

_You're not this carefree angel they can dump their own desires on…_

Her lips fell shut. She turned from Darien to see Seiko shoot her one last look – a slightly hopeful look that quickly faded into defeat – and then slink away.

As he passed out of sight beyond a corner of blue lockers, Serena suddenly remembered her friend and spun around. "Ami – "

But the bluenette had vanished.

"She – uh – just ran away." Asanuma, catching the expression on Serena's face, tried to comfort her. "She probably just had to go to the bathroom or something…"

_No. _Serena appreciated Asanuma's attempt, but she knew why Ami had really run. _Luna's already gotten to her. I should have found her sooner. **I should have found her!**_

Serena stomped down the urge to sob and ducked out from under Darien's hand. _I won't think about it. Not now. I can't let anyone else realize… _She clasped her hands on front of her and turned to face the two upperclassmen. "Thanks, guys."

Slightly to her relief, Asanuma spoke up before Darien had a chance to reply. "Hey, Serena-chan, do you have a group yet? For the trip?"

"Not ye – "

"YEEEEEEES!" Asanuma punched the air and grabbed Serena's hands. "You can be in OUR group! We'll have so much we'll explode! We can sit on the bus together and sit in each other's laps, and take naps on each other's shoulders while the boring tour guides drone on about boulders, and we can sneak off to the gift shop and buy rock candy to share – "

"This is beginning to sound more like a honeymoon than a field trip," muttered Darien. "I'm suddenly not looking forward to this trip at all."

"Aw, stop being such a Grump, Dare-Bear!" ordered Asanuma, steering him towards the administrators' table. "Now go sign up our group!"

"Why do _I _have to do it?" grumbled Darien. Serena was avoiding his eyes – darn that girl!

"Because the teachers _like _you," said Asanuma matter-of-factly. He added in an aside to Serena, "In fact, _like_ may be an understatement. I saw Mrs. Karounen staring at his butt last week."

Serena burst out laughing. _Smile, Serena, be happy…_ "What butt? Darien _has_ no butt."

"Nice to know you've been looking, Odango," drawled Darien.

Serena flushed. _Okay, went too far…_

A pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her. They were burly and hairy and they were squishing Darien against her.

"I'M SO HAPPY!" thundered a familiar voice right in Serena's ear. She cringed and flinched away, only to have her head collide with Darien's chin.

"Ow!"

"Ow! Are you trying to kill me, Tsukino?"

"Maybe if your Jay Leno chin wasn't in the way!" retorted Serena, spitting hair out of her mouth. She wasn't sure whether it was hers or Darien's. "Coach – LET GO!" These last two words were roared by Serena and Darien simultaneously.

But Coach's gorilla-like arms only tightened around his two prodigy students. "You're even fighting like normal! Oh, I think I'm going to cry!" He began to sniffle, and Serena's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she felt something warm and wet splash onto her scalp.

"Coach, _please_ tell me that was a teardrop."

But Coach ignored her, continuing to howl and sniffle.

"Man," whispered Darien. "Is he on estrogen or what?"

"If he looks like this on estrogen, I'd hate to see him on testosterone," whispered Serena. _This is really awkward, being so close to Darien…_"What's got him so worked up, anyways? All we were doing was talking."

Darien's brows knit; he watched kids stopping in the hallway to point and snicker at him, Serena, and Coach. He cleared his throat. _The last time I was this close to someone, I was rescuing Sailor Moon._ "You're right. I think we've missed something." He lifted his voice. "Coach? Did something happen?"

"Did something happen?" echoed Coach in a shocked voice, dropping them both. "Only the most inspiring tributes ever made to true love being put on display in the cafeteria!" He blew his nose into his handkerchief. "It's so – so – HEARTWARMING! Please convey my congratulations and gratitude to your friends, Shields! They are true geniuses! And Miss Longeye! I think I'll ask her if she wants to go to Friday's basketball game with me…" With that, he wandered off into the throng of students, still sniffling and humming the theme to _Titanic._

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" said Darien when Coach had completely disappeared from sight.

"Way ahead of you," answered Serena.

They took off for the cafeteria.

_Two minutes later_:

"Oh my God," wailed Serena. "She did NOT do this to us."

"Apparently, she did," replied Darien, staring in horror at Miss Lanai's painting of them – which was hanging up on the cafeteria bulletin board atop all the student notices, in clear view of every single person in the school, from the health teacher to the lunch ladies.

"Hey, Serena," someone whistled from the other end of the crowded cafeteria. "Nice lingerie there, girl!"

Serena flushed horribly. "It's not lingerie, it's a dress!" she hissed. "Just a very, um, revealing dress."

"Is this even legal?" pondered Darien. "I mean, to have something like this up in a public school?"

Serena gasped. "Darien – look!"

Darien looked. And swore. "Where did those come from?" he demanded, ripping the photos off the board. There were at least ten of them, depicting the two of them sleeping. Their position in the photos weren't anywhere near as bad as the ones in the painting, but they were still highly humiliating. Serena winced as she saw one of her head nodding on top of Darien's, just like she had woken up at the arcade – her eyes widened –

"Someone must have doctored these!" Darien was muttering furiously to himself. "This never happened!" His eyes widened, and at the same time as Serena, he roared –

"ASANUMA!"

* * *

A/N: There. Was it realistic enough? Too melodramatic? Not dramatic enough? How were the characters? Please tell me! I need lot of reviews, my Physics class has me so depressed….

Several of you wonderful lovelies have asked for story challenges. I AM thinking of some, and I will post them in next chapter, promise.


	19. A Learning Experience

**A/N:** Ummmmm….please don't kill me. I have an excuse for not updating, I really do! In fact, I have SEVERAL excuses! Let's make a list:

1.) laptop crashed, it's working on and off now, but I'm basically waiting for the new one my parents have promised me for my birthday….

2.) my family reunion was last weekend

3.) b/c it was my family reunion, we have had fifty BILLION people at our house, and in order to be a polite hostess, I can't exactly go off and type in my room (though I did it quite a couple of time anyways…)

4.) Someone was sleeping in the room where the computer that I use to upload fanfiction is

5.) Physics has been kicking my BUTT.

6.) I got a really bad sunburn across my shoulders, so it hurt to wear clothes, much less hunch over and type

So, um…even though you guys are probably really mad at me, I got a lot done. I know basically where the story's going now, and what's happening with the characters. This is also a pretty logn chapter, not as humorous as the last, but I think you'll like it nonetheless…for certain reasons… I'm trying to portray Dare a little differently, please tell me if you notice.

Since you're all sick of my babbling – **_I_**'m even sick of my babbling – I'll stop now. And let you, you know, read the story.

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. But I DO own Tuxedo Mask. He's tied up in my basement.

* * *

**Subject to Change**

Chapter Nineteen: A Learning Experience

* * *

_Monday afternoon:_

The arcade doors swung open with a cheery chime. At first, Motoki did not halt in his lively chatter to the cute redhead whose sundae he was drizzling with strawberry syrup. But as the usual din of the arcade died away into silence, his eyebrows furrowed and he set down the sundae to turn around and face the door.

"What is it…EEEK!" He let out a little-girl scream as he found himself face-to-face with a very angry black-haired hottie.

"Oh…my," squeaked out Motoki. He found that his throat had suddenly gone dry so that he felt as though he were choking on sawdust. "Why, Darien – what a surprise."

A sudden explosion of pain on Motoki's toes extracted another scream from the jovial arcade-tender. It also drew his attention downwards to a blonde who was tapping her loafered feet and clearing her throat.

"Oh," Motoki managed to squeeze out. "And you two, Usa-cha – I mean, _san_."

"That's better," approved Serena. She crossed her arms against her chest as Darien leaned nonchalantly against the counter.

Motoki gulped. He had thought Darien was scary, but Darien and Serena _together_ were just plain bloodcurdling. _I **knew** I was gonna regret helping Numa…_

"So, Motoki," began Serena conversationally. "This is how it's gonna go. We know that you know that we know that – " her eyebrows knit together as her voice stumbled to a halt. "Wait – I mean – " An expression of concentration creased her face, causing a yearning sigh to escape some of the video-game junkies at the He-Man game a couple meters away.

"What Odango means to say," took over Darien, throwing a glance in the gamers' direction, "is that we know you helped Asanuma with those pictures."

"Exactly what I was about to say!" Serena beamed.

Darien rolled his eyes. "Sure." He snapped a finger at Motoki, who was trying to tiptoe quickly away. "I don't think so. Get back here, Shake Boy."

"I plead the Fifth?" tried Motoki.

Serena leaned forward threateningly. "We're in Japan, Motoki." (A/N: Sound familiar, Nan-chan?)

Motoki gulped again, dropping to his knees on the floor and clasping his hands imploringly. "Please don't hurt me! I'll do anything you want! Give you free milkshakes, shien yoru shoes, do your hair, buy you a pet wombat – "

Serena abandoned her threatening look and hopped into a stool. "I'll take that milkshake! Lots of chocolate syrup, please!"

Darien groaned. "Odango! You promised you wouldn't let him bribe you!"

"…."

Some partner in crime you are." Darien folded his arms condescendingly. "I knew you couldn't handle it."

"_Excuse _me?" Serena jumped back down from the stool and planted her hands on her hips. "As if! I can be just as evil as you! Forget the milkshake, Motoki!" She flung out a hand to push him away.

"_That_'s better," said Darien. "Now, Toki, the way I look at it – "

"You mean the way _I _look at it," interrupted Serena. She elbowed Darien none-too-gently out of the way, propping her elbows up on the countertop. It required her to stand on her tiptoes, but it made her feel more authoritative. It was good to feel as though she were in charge of _something_, with the rest of her life tumbling out of control the way it was.

"The way _I_ look at it," she began again, "you've got two options. One, you stand in the way of us getting revenge on Asanuma, in which case we tell Reika that you and Numa have been going out behind her back – "

"The sad part about that is that she's actually believe us," commented Darien.

"_Or,_" continued Serena, giving Darien the evil eye, "you help us with a little plan we've hatched…"

"Do you _have _to say it like that?" Darien groaned. "It makes us sound like chickens!"

"You look like a chicken!"

"You squawk like one."

"You smell like one!"

"Are you admitting that you sniff poultry on a regular basis?"

"YOU!" Serena lunged, grabbing Darien's throat in a stranglehold. Darien leapt to his feet, but the action didn't have quite the effect he had hoped. Instead, Serena's arms remained locked around his neck, and her feet dangled a foot above the floor. She squeaked and grabbed Darien's throat tighter, causing his face to go purple.

"Where's a camera when you need one?" demanded Motoki of no one in particular.

"Toki…help me…" wheezed out Darien, trying vainly with his hands to loosen Serena's death grip.

"I don't know…" Toki tapped his chin thoughtfully. "You were just threatening to tell my girlfriend I was gay…"

"Help me…or you won't have anyone to help you with your Trig homework…" gasped Darien, face mottling a deathly shade of puce.

Motoki gasped. "NOOOOO! Usa, let him go! Or – or – or he'll pass out and you'll have to give him CPR!"

"ACK!" Serena shrieked and released her chokehold on Darien. She landed in an untidy sprawl on the floor, face flushed and clothes askew. "NO WAY!"

Darien gasped for air like a drowned man, lurching against the counter.

"Why is it…" he coughed, "that I always end up humiliating myself when I'm with you, Odango?"

"_You're _humiliated?" Serena stood up hastily, yanking down her skirt from where it had ridden up. She was very careful not to look at the video gamers, some of whom were hyperventilating from what they'd just seen. "What about ME?"

"You know what?" said Motoki, a little TOO brightly. "I think you've both been traumatized enough for one day. Why don't you both go home and go to bed – separately, of course – teeheehee – "

"OH NO!" thundered the two high schoolers, whirling on Motoki. (As Serena's skirt flared, another gamer fainted in delight, raising the total number of unconscious nerds to fourteen.) "We haven't forgotten about you!"

"So what did you decide?" demanded Darien, splaying his hands on the counter and leaning toward Motoki, not unlike Serena had done a few moments before. Serena, not to be outdone, quickly scrambled up onto a stool to glare at Motoki also. "Help us…or have your girlfriend think you swing the other way?"

L

_Several minutes later_:

"Why, hey, Asanuma, my friend, my _ami_, my _amigo_!" Motoki greeted Asanuma as he sauntered into the arcade. "My _tomodachi_, how are you?"

"Motoki's not a very convincing actor." Serena wrinkled her nose as they watched the counter from a shadowy booth in the counter.

"Nope." Darien sipped his Mountain Dew, watching Motoki carefully. His eyes were peeled for any sign that Motoki was tipping Asanuma off to their scheme. But no, he was pulling out a shake glass, reaching behind the counter… "He's even worse at lying than you are."

"At least we're bad at something bad."

Darien snorted. "_That _made a lot of sense."

"It does!" said Serena defensively. "Lying is bad, right? You're not supposed to do it. And so it's not bad that I'm bad at lying. It's good. And I'm not _that_ bad at lying…" she trailed off in a mutter.

"Maybe you don't _think_ you are," answered Darien, hearing her last words. "But maybe people are actually just humoring you."

Serena frowned slightly as she thought about that. Could it be that her mother was just pretending to believe her all those times she said she had tripped over the stairs? Did her mother really know that all of her bruises actually came from numerous battles with lethal creatures from an evil dimension called the Dark Kingdom? And Molly – was Molly actually not as ignorant of her alter ego as she thought? Oh, God, she hoped not…

"I'd rather they didn't know," said Serena suddenly and honestly.

Darien looked at her, but she was staring unseeingly at the tabletop. He sighed and leaned back, resting an arm on the back of the booth. "That's why they pretend they don't know that you're lying." He fiddled with his straw for a moment, wondering if he should say something else, but was distracted by a sudden thud.

His head quickly whipped around to see what had made the sound, and Serena's followed suit. He grinned.

"Wow!" exclaimed Serena admiringly, fleet-footing over to where a snoring Asanuma lay prone on the checkered tile floor in front of the counter. "Those sleeping pills of yours work fast, Toki-onii-san!"

"Call me the Sandman," said Motoki, deftly removing Asanuma's half-full milkshake glass from the counter and emptying its contents in the sink. "He never knew what hit him." He frowned. "I feel kinda bad. What are you going to do with him now?"

Darien glanced at Serena. Serena flashed him a grin and a 'V' for victory sign. She seized the back of Asanuma's collar and dragged him across the floor and out of sight.

Darien turned back to Motoki, a positively evil grin unfurling on his face. "You'll see."

* * *

_Two and a Half Hours Later:_

"Man, if Asanuma doesn't wake up soon, I'm gonna have to leave before I see the show," griped Serena, looking up at the clock for what had to be the fiftieth time.

"Those sleeping pill of yours better wear off soon, Motoki," said Darien ominously, a threat hanging off the end of his words.

Motoki gulped and looked up at the clock. "He should be waking up any time now…"

Right on cue, they suddenly heard an "AAAAAAAAAARRRRGHHHHHH!" coming from the ladies' restroom.

Serena and Darien cackled gleefully. A moment later, Asanuma came zooming out of the women's bathroom, a wrinkled-up old prune of a lady hobbling quickly after him in her walker.

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN THERE? WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN THE LADIES' ROOM? YOU LITTLE HENTAI, I OUGHTA CALL MY SON ON YOU!" she screeched, thwacking him with her cane.

"MOTOKIIIIIIII! SAVE MEEEEEEEEE!" Asanuma howled, ducking out from under the old woman. Motoki shrugged helplessly at his friend, pointing at Serena and Darien.

"YOU COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE…"

The sound of the old ladies' screeching faded away as she and Asanuma both rounded the corner.

"Wow…." Serena grinned broadly, leaning over and resting her chin on Darien's shoulder to watch Asanuma disappear from sight. "I never knew revenge could be so fun!"

"Almost as sweet as milkshakes, huh, Odango?" Darien grinned back down at her.

"Definitely!"

* * *

_Tuesday night:_

Beads of sweat trickled down Tuxedo Mask's temples as he roamed the streets Tuesday night. The air was thick as soup, and clouds rumbled overhead, threatening to burst open and pour rain down on him at any moment. The sky's menacing growling did not perturb Tuxedo Mask one whit. He was already about as wet as could be. His tuxedo clung to his body, so damp with sweat that he had decided to discard his cape, hat, and tuxedo jacket. All that remained was his pants (sorry, girls), white dress shirt, and vest – and, of course, his mask.

_Sailor Moon probably wouldn't even recognize me,_ Tuxedo Mask realized, pausing on the roof of a random apartment high-rise to survey the deserted city streets sprawled out below him. _If only she would show up so that I could test the theory…where's a youma when you need it?_

For once in his life, Tuxedo Mask was not wandering the rooftops in order to find the Silver Crystal. He was not even wandering the rooftops in order to calm himself after yet another disturbing dream involving that enigmatic princess. No, this time, Tuxedo Mask's quarry was Sailor Moon – or Zoicite, though he'd rather see the former. He wanted – no, he _needed_ to know what Zoicite had meant when she said that Sailor Moon had sold her soul.

Part of his mind still believed that he had just been hallucinating when he heard those words coming out of the Dark Kingdom general's mouth. After all, the sheer absurdity of the idea – Sailor Moon, destined for hell! It was too preposterous to be true.

But Serena had heard it, too. So he couldn't have been hallucinating. But…it made no sense! Sailor Moon couldn't be any older than he himself was. How could she have sold her soul? Even to this princess that she and the other Sailor Senshi seemed so devoted to?

And yet – Sailor Moon herself had seemed shocked by this revelation. Which either meant that there was no truth to what Zoicite had said, or that Sailor Moon wasn't quite the self-sure, all-knowing heroine he had assumed her to be. Perhaps she was, in fact, as in the dark as he was when it came to all this superhero stuff.

Tuxedo Mask clenched his gloved fists. If only he could see her! Speak to her for just one minute…gaze into her sparkling eyes, hear her teasing voice…

But no. He could write pages of poetry on the brightness of her smile, the hypnotic quality of her voice, but none of these changed that fact that he couldn't love her. That he had had a chance to prove himself worthy, at the jewelry store, and he had failed. _But never again._

Tuxedo Mask felt a sudden sting on his arm. Nothing much, just a tiny twinge on his arm that he at first assumed was a mosquito. _Great way for my inner declaration of love to be interrupted._ He irritably slapped a palm down on his arm, crouching down on the lip of the roof and squinting down into the dark street below. He thought he had just glimpsed a flicker of light…

The twinge flared.

"Ow! God!" He hissed, slapping his smarting skin. The sudden motion unbalanced his body and sent him careening headfirst over the edge of the roof. He grimaced in midair and twisted so that he landed on the sidewalk on all fours like a cat.

The burning on his arm intensified. _Damn mosquito._ He gritted his teeth, then spun as something flickered in the corner of his eyes.

It was tiny and orange, sending up a curl of smoke from where it sat in the middle of a patch of grass next to the trees that had been planted at aesthetical intervals along the sidewalk. _A cigarette butt?_ He stamped the heel of his boot down on the smoldering object, grinding it into the soil – then heard voices. He immediately ducked into a nearby alley.

Tuxedo Mask realized suddenly that the pain on his arm had vanished. However, he had no time to wonder why or how – the voices grew louder and closer. Belatedly, it dawned on him that they were headed for the alley – _his_ alley! He looked around in a panic, praising the keen eyesight his superhero status had granted him, and scrambled up a fire escape dangling from the side of the building.

"I'm warning you – " The voices, and two dark, tall forms lurched into the alley. One had a distinctly female silhouette and was moving jerkily, as though being yanked along by the other.

Tuxedo Mask tensed, shrinking further back into the shadows so that his white shirt would not be noticed. Hopefully, this was no more than an innocent lovers' spat –

"Let me GO!" A female voice, stubborn… like Serena's. He felt a sudden flare of nausea in his gut – but no, that shadow was too far too tall to be Serena.

"No way." The female silhouette was suddenly hurled against the wall. Thunder rumbled; Tuxedo Mask leaned forward in order to catch the man's next words. "I swear, you've made an idiot outta me for the last time, you witch – "

_I don't need to hear any more. This jerk's gonna eat concrete. _Tuxedo Mask vaulted down from the fire escape. He landed noiselessly on the trash-strewn pavement behind the male shadow. One swift jab to the guy's pressure point crumpled him to the ground – but then something happened that Tuxedo Mask _hadn't_ anticipated.

A fist lashed out and collided with his jaw like a brick.

"Holy – " he gasped, reeling backwards. "What the hell! Lady, I was trying to _help _you!"

"You sure about that?" panted the female's voice.

Tuxedo Mask squinted, feeling his jaw throb. Thunder suddenly growled, and a fork of lightning sliced the sky. In the strobe-like flash of light, Darien saw the Amazoness figure in sharper relief – she was crouched in a jujitsu stance. She had a wild mane of tangled hair and a truly nasty black eye. Then the dark swallowed the details of her appearance once more.

"I'm sure," said Tuxedo Mask honestly, a wry tone coloring his voice. "And if I wasn't before, I sure am now. That's quite a punch."

_Thud._

At first, Tuxedo Mask flinched backwards, thinking that the sound was another punch making contact with his jaw, but then he realized that he didn't feel any pain. Lightning flashed again, illuminating the truth: the girl had fainted. She was now sprawled untidily on top of the man whose lights Tuxedo Mask had punched out.

"Why can't anything ever be easy?" grumbled Tuxedo Mask, leaving the girl where she was and wending his way to a pay phone across the street. He fished a quarter out of his vest pocket and dialed 911. "Hello? This is a – er – anonymous tipster. There's been a fight at, uh – " He glanced at the shop beside him and rattled off the address. "Yes, there's been injuries…you'll want to send an ambulance. Yes. Okay. Bye."

In the distance, he heard sirens beginning to blare. Throwing one last glance over his shoulder at the alley, he leapt up to the rooftops once more.

The clouds chose this auspicious moment to burst open. Tuxedo Mask nearly jumped out of his skin as a clap of thunder nearly split his eardrums. _I've never noticed how much louder the thunder is up here…_ Rain began to lash down on his skin, soaking his hair and causing his mask to slide down on his face. He pushed it back up and doggedly continued his trek across the rooftops.

_I don't even know where I'm going. Why don't I just go home? That field trip is tomorrow…I need to be ready to fight off Dark Kingdom demons for the Silver Crystal, not be falling asleep on the bus in someone's lap like Asanuma said. Although I probably wouldn't be able to sleep in all this racket, anyways…all this thunder…_

Unconsciously, his thoughts went to Serena. The Odango was terrified of thunderstorms. He wondered how she was doing…? He hoped she was getting sleep. She needed it…

He felt a sudden urge to go check on her. Maybe it was the thunderstorm, or maybe it was the girl he'd just rescued – but he had a sudden urge to go and make sure she was safe.

_No reason not to._ He shrugged and began towards the residential area of Juuban. _It's not like I've got anything better to do. I've just got to make sure Asanuma and Motoki NEVER find out about this…_

_

* * *

_

"Malachite!" Beryl's voice rang out in the stone cavern. "Why did you send this youma out without my permission?"

Malachite turned distastefully from the glass sphere in which he was watching the youma. The buxom creature was surrounded by crackling arcs of lightning and swirling clouds.

"It is a supplement of Zoicite's plan, m'Queen." His voice was sardonic. "According to the information Zoicite has dredged up, Sailor Moon's alter ego has a deathly fear of thunderstorms. It is in the best interest of Zoicite's plan for Sailor Moon ti be tired and weak tomorrow."

"Hmm." Beryl's face clouded over, her brows knitting. She spoke a moment later. "You may continue this youma's activity. But from now on, you are to inform me before releasing any other youma."

Malachite frowned. "And what of the youma currently exerting its power over the other two Senshi – Mars and Mercury? I believe that we should just kill them and be over with, Majesty."

Beryl's long tongue ran across one glistening fang, then the other. "No…no," she hissed sibilantly. "I want to watch them blunder on like this for a while longer. It is more beneficial to our cause, especially if it could drive a wedge between them. And I need them to lead me to the princess – and her crystal."

Malachite's lips compressed. "You are playing not only with fire but with ice, M'Queen."

Beryl's eyes flashed. "Are you doubting my ability to handle them, Malachite?"

Malachite bowed his head. "No, Queen."

"Good." Beryl lounged back in her chair, watching him carefully. "Tell me, Malachite. How is Zoicite's new…_condition_ suiting you?"

Malachite stiffened. "I would by lying if I said I did not like her better before, Majesty."

"I see." Beryl's fingernails clacked unnervingly on her stone throne. She spoke her next words conversationally. "You know, Malachite – you were in love with someone else, back in the Silver Millennium."

Malachite's eyebrows lifted noncommittally. "Really."

"Yes." Beryl tapped her fingernails again. "She sacrificed…much…for you. To save you. What do you think of this?"

"I think that I should be able to remember her if she sacrificed so much for me."

"What has Zoicite sacrificed for you, Malachite?"

This question left the High General speechless.

Beryl smiled. "I thought so." She reclined. "Go and supervise your youma now. Reveal yourself to the Senshi. They will be frightened by the appearance of another general. It will throw them off."

* * *

Tuxedo Mask was only a few blocks away from the Tsukino residence when he began to see the flaring light and falling objects that looked suspiciously like hail. He picked up his pace, already having a faint idea of what – or rather, _who_ – was causing these anomalies.

"Mars…Fire…IGNITE!" screamed a voice.

Tuxedo Mask's heart jumped into his mouth. There was a youma somewhere around here. Sailor Mars was somewhere around here. So it followed to say that…Sailor Moon was here also?

One must recall that Tuxedo Mask (a.k.a. Darien Shields) was an extremely logical young man. He based as much of his life as he could on fact rather than instinct or emotion.

His gut told him to check on Serena first. His brain told him that Serena was undoubtedly sleeping like a log, while Sailor Moon was probably in serious danger. Danger only he could save her from. So – Tuxedo Mask headed towards Sailor Mars' voice.

And imagine his disappointment when he found the origin of the flaring lights, and saw Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, and a youma carrying a huge drum that spat lightning – but no Sailor Moon.

"Mars!" he yelled, whipping out a dozen roses and throwing them in the path of a fork of lightning that was arcing from the youma towards Sailor Mars. The lightning hissed angrily and consumed the roses in a shower of black ash, leaving Mars unscathed. "Where's Sailor Moon?"

Mars shot him a look, the venom of which he felt even through the pelting rain. "You know the answer to that question better than us, Cape Boy!"

Tuxedo Mask blinked. What the hell was she talking about?

"Mars!" Mercury shouted suddenly, ruining his concentration. "Aim for its drum!"

"Fine! Mars…Fire…IGNITE!" Blades of flame shot towards the youma and missed by a couple of feet. Mars cursed and pressed her fingers together again. "Mars…Fire…"

"Oh, for the love of God – " Tuxedo Mask muttered impatiently. His cane materialized in his hand, and he flipped a disguised switch on its end. A blade sprang out. Taking a split second to aim, he hurled the cane towards the youma.

It pierced not only her drum, but also her chest. The youma let out a scream, then collapsed into dust. The lightning vanished, and the clouds slowed gradually.

Tuxedo Mask caught his cane before it fell and decided to keep it handy instead of putting it back into his Sub-Space pocket. He approached Mars and Mercury, wary as a wolf.

The two girls each watched him just as closely – but for different reasons. Mars felt her fingers itching to incinerate his bow tie. Mercury's eye twitched as she glared at that same bow tie, which she had noticed was crooked and coming untied.

"Do you know where Sailor Moon is or not?" demanded Tuxedo Mask. Much to his annoyance, neither of the girls seemed to even realize had had spoken. They were staring intently at…his neck?

"Perhaps this will get their attention."

The statement came from a totally unfamiliar voice, and was accompanied by the materialization of a blonde-haired man in the air above them.

"Who the hell are you?" demanded Tuxedo Mask, cane coming up in front of him in a defensive position. The man's platinum hair hung down over a grey uniform – the uniform of a Dark Kingdom general.

"_You_ may call me General Malachite." The man floated slowly down to the ground. He was tall, taller than Darien, even, and his skin was dark.

Mercury's attention had transferred from Darien to the general. Her other eyes was now twitching behind her visor. "yOuR rOOtS nEeD tO bE blEacHeD," she gritted out with effort. "THeY dOn'T MAtcH."

Tuxedo Mask grimaced in disgust. What was Sailor Mercury doing admonishing a brand-new Dark Kingdom general about his HAIR? What had HAPPENED to the Sailor Senshi? And why was Sailor Mars suddenly lunging towards him – "ARGH!"

Flames licked Tuxedo Mask's chin for a moment, then Mars climbed back off of Tuxedo Mask, who had been knocked to the ground. He looked down and saw a huge, smoking hole in his tuxedo. Not only was his bow tie gone, but half of his shirt and vest as well!

"They're insane, aren't they?" said General Malachite conversationally. "But I suppose you put up with them for Sailor Moon's sake – I guess I can't blame you. Her hair _is_ quite beautiful. Like gold."

Okay, something was seriously wrong. A Dark Kingdom general – a male one, no less! – was complimenting Sailor Moon's hair, Mars had just roasted half of his clothes off, and Mercury – he didn't even want to go there. Was Tokyo water contaminated or something?

"Okay, look," said Tuxedo Mask loudly, holding up his gloved hands. "I don't know what all of your problems are. And I really don't care. What I want to know is, one," he held up a finger, "why Sailor Moon's not here, and two, what the hell all that crap Zoicite was spouting off to her at the movie theater was."

"Oh, you mean our offer to let Sailor Moon join us?" Malachite's eyes glinted.

Mars exploded. "I KNEW IT!" she screamed, launching herself at Tuxedo Mask. Her hands wrapped around his neck. "She's a TRAITOR, and YOU – you're a FILTHY BAS – " She was cut off short as Tuxedo Mask threw her off. She flew backwards and collided with Mercury, throwing them both to the ground.

"Did I reveal something I wasn't supposed to?" Malachite lifted a white eyebrow. "Oh, my, I think I'm going to sneeze – " he dematerialized, then rematerialized right above Sailor Mars and Mercury. "ACHOOO!"

Mercury went psycho. She hurled Mars away from her and whipped out a can of Lysol from thin air. She sprayed it everywhere – on her fuku, in her ears, her eyes, her mouth – then began to choke violently.

"Freak," said Mars disdainfully, folding her arms and examining her nails.

Tuxedo Mask could not believe his eyes. Surely this whole series of events was a dream. A crazy, insane, caffeine-induced hallucination.

"Idiots, aren't they?" said the general to Tuxedo Mask. "Jumping to conclusions like that. All I had to do was imply that Sailor Moon considered our offer to join the Dark Kingdom, and they believe she betrayed them."

"Why are you doing this?"

Malachite lifted an eyebrow. "That's a rather unintelligent question."

"Answer it anyways!" Tuxedo Mask snarled.

"Figure it out yourself." With that, Malachite disappeared.

Tuxedo Mask looked at Mercury and Mars. Mercury's coughing had calmed, and Mars was now stalking towards him with flames dancing on her fingers. He decided it was time to go.

_All that and still no answers_, he thought furiously as he leapt away. He found the building he was looking for and crouched down on the edge of its roof. And there she was.

"Odango, why are you still awake?" he muttered.

Serena was sitting on her window seat, gazing unfocusedly out into space as her arms wrapped around her knees. Her hair was down, rippling down her back and over her shoulders, almost – but no quite – hiding the sad expression on her face.

"The thunder's gone. The storm stopped. Go to sleep, Odango," he whispered again, even though he knew she couldn't hear him. "There's no reason to be scared anymore, you scaredy-cat."

As if on cue, a distant, bloodcurdling yowl suddenly pierced the night. Both Tuxedo Mask and Serena started, one in surprise, the other in fright.

Serena wrapped her arms tighter around herself. Her eyes were more energetic now, flitting around her, to the trees, the sidewalk, the houses. Tuxedo Mask decided it was time to go, before she saw him and became even more frightened.

"Good night, Odango."

* * *

"Hey. Odango."

Serena looked up at him. He wasn't exactly surprised by the dark shadows beneath her unusually glassy eyes, but they irked him nonetheless. _Damn youma._

"Oh." Serena swayed slightly as she stood on the curb, like a skyscraper in a strong wind. Although comparing Serena to a skyscraper wasn't exactly an accurate analogy. "Hi, Darien."

"You look dead, Odango." Darien leaned across the passenger seat and opened the car door. "Get in."

Something in Serena's stance relaxed. Darien had been prepared for resistance – "no, I'm okay, really," he was sure she would say – but she slid in without a word. Her head sank gratefully into the seat.

Darien pulled away from the curb. "That storm kept you up all night, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Mm." A light rain drummed the windshield, accompanying the faint hum of the air conditioner. "You want to listen to anything?"

From the corner of his eye, he saw her shrug. "It's your car."

"Is jazz okay with you?" Darien rotated the volume knob. Soft, soothing strains of jazz music began to drift out of the speakers.

"Mmm." Serena snuggled further back in the passenger seat. "It's so…nice."

"Calms you down, doesn't it?" Darien glanced from the wet road to her, smiling slightly. She looked like a little kid taking her nap. He wished he could take one…

"Yeah." Serena let out a contented little sigh and turned her head slightly to look at him. Her eyes were half-shut. "Like swimming in the ocean…wha'd you call it?"

"Jazz music." Darien pulled to a stop at a red light. "Just don't fall too deeply asleep, okay, Odango? I shudder to think what everyone would say if I carried you sleeping into class."

Serena snorted softly. "Why should you worry? I'm the one who would get jumped by jealous girls, not you."

Darien smiled, thinking of the death glares he'd get from the male population, but kept his thoughts to himself. "I have faith that you would be able to fight them all off."

"Your faith is totally misplaced. I'm a shrimp."

"Yeah, but you pack a nasty punch. And scream. And high heel."

Serena's hazy eyes drifted closed again. "Not today."

The small blonde remained quiet and motionless for the rest of the drive. Despite all that had happened last night and despite all the things had yet to accomplish today, Darien felt a comforting sensation of peace settle over him like a downy blanket. Jazz music still floated through the car, crescendoing and decrescendoing like an ocean tide, while the rain pattered steadily and softly on the roof and windshield. He felt as though he had found an oasis in the middle of the desert. All his cares had been suspended and forgotten; his only concern was making sure that he didn't brake too quickly lest Serena be jerked from her slumber.

He felt protective of her, rather like an older brother, but also jealous of her, of the fact that she was sleeping. He felt an almost irrepressible urge to recline in his own seat and stretch out for some z's; traffic and driving be damned.

He didn't, of course. That would have gotten him and Serena killed. But he wanted to.

Serena drifted back into wakefulness as the car cruised into the student parking lot. Darien didn't observe her exact moment of waking; one moment he glanced at her and her eyes were closed, the next they were open and flicking around almost curiously.

"And here we are," said Darien originally, climbing out of the car. "You ready for the field trip, 'dango?"

"I know, I know," mumbled Serena, stumbling out. "Time for Horrible Haruna…"

"Actually," said Darien, withdrawing his key from the car's lock and placing a hand in front of Serena to stop her. "I believe that we're supposed to report to the cafeteria and wait for the teachers to call us for the buses."

"Cafeteria…" Serena grimaced. "Those pictures. Maybe we shouldn't go in at the same time…?"

Darien caught a glimpse of blue hair a couple of cars away. He reached out and caught Serena by a sleeve. "What, you're embarrassed to be seen with me?" he said jokingly, trying to adopt an Asanuma-like tone. Call him paranoid, but he didn't want Serena getting too close to Ami…

Serena blinked at him. "No, I just thought – well, everyone's saying – "

"Who cares?" Darien tugged her towards the math hallway, in the opposite direction of where had seen Ami headed. "Come on, I need to get some stuff out of my locker."

* * *

"Attention! _Ecoute, mes poussins!_" The shouted words – or rather, gibberish, which was what it sounded like to the rowdy students lining up for the bus – failed to capture the attention of any students. "_SHUT UP!"_

THAT turned heads.

"No way…not _her_…" groaned Darien under his breath. Beside him, Serena wilted further, if that was possible.

"Ahem." Miss Lanai cleared her throat, fingering her penciled-on mustache. She glared around at all of them. "Now zat you 'ave all closed your 'uge mouthz…_petits asticots_…I am going to be your, euh, how do you say, _chappy-rone_ today. As zose of you who 'ave taken _mon cours magnifique_ know, I am _un dame mechante_. _Je sais, je sais_, I look so soft, like a rose petal, but on the inside I am hard, like a peach pit." She pounded her chest. "So do not mess wiz me, or you will find yourself – " Her eyes crossed idly over Serena and Darien, then flicked back.

"_MATIIIIIIIIIN!_" she shrieked like a banshee, lunging towards them. "'ot boy! 'ow did you like my surprise? Very nice, _non_? Now all can see ze wonderful love you 'ave for each ozzer – and no _petite poulet_ will try to steal him from you, hmm?" She nudged a flushed Serena. "Zey know now zat 'e is _your _man."

"I knew it!" shouted a voice from the back of the line. "They ARE dating!"

"Darien…." muttered Serena, banging her head repeatedly on his arm. "Why US?"

"OKAY! ON ZE BUS!" bellowed Miss Lanai, beginning to shoo everyone – except Serena and Darien – onto the long yellow vehicle. "'ot Boy and Matin are 'avign a moment. We must not interrupt!"

"I want to die…." moaned Serena.

"Hey, at least you have a name. I'm just 'Hot Boy.'"

"Yeah, but who knows what Matin means? She could be calling me 'frying pan' for all I know."

"No, she's not." Darien frowned, thinking. Where had he read it…. "Matin means morning, doesn't it? And there's another meaning – "

"Since when do you know French?" Serena yawned out.

"You know Motoki's girlfriend Reika, right?"

"That cheerleader he started dating a couple months ago?"

"Yeah, her. Toki's been trying to get a date with her for _years_. In – oh, I think it was freshman year, he went on this French craze and started looking up all these French words and speaking them because he thought Reika might be wooed if he knew the language of love." Darien snorted. "So to practice, made me and Numa listen to him babble off all these French words."

Serena smiled. "He and Numa are so wild…I wish Ami and Rei and I did stuff like that. I used to, with Molly…"

Darien was silent, unsure of what to say. _If I say she's better off without Ami and Rei, she'll just get agitated again…better to just let it slide._ Then realization struck him. He snapped his fingers. "I've got it!"

"What?" she eyed him warily.

"What else Matin means. But it doesn't make any sense…" he frowned. "You're not a sailor."

Serena swayed suddenly. Darien moved forward uncertainly to help her, but she caught herself.

"You need more sleep. Come on, let's go on the bus. Maybe you can take another nap."

"Wait," said Serena hoarsely as he led her to the bus door. "Was that what else Matin means? Sailor?"

"Yeah." Darien glanced back at her. "Maybe she's referring to your uniform. It looks kind of like a sailor suit."

"Yeah, yeah, that must be it!" Serena nodded her head vigorously. "Hey, let's get on the bus before all the seats are taken!" She zoomed up the bus stairs, Darien in tow.

Serena paused for a moment at the head of the steps, searching the crowded bus for an empty seat, only to find that there were none. Except…

"Miss Lanai, could we move your bag?" Darien asked politely of the teacher sitting in the foremost seat of the bus.

Miss Lanai looked up at him as if he had gone insane. "Move _mon sac_? _Non!_ It must 'ave its own seat!"

"Why?" Darien frowned thunderously.

"Because!" exclaimed Miss Lanai, jumping up and glaring at him as though daring him to lay a finger on her handbag. "Do not ask questions, 'ot Boy! " She whirled around to face the rest of the students on the bus. "Children, zere are not enough seats on ze bus for everyone. 'o volunteers to give up zeir seat and sit in someone's lap?"

"Serena does!" shouted a familiar masculine voice from the back. The shout was followed by a gale of laughter and the sound of two hands slapping five. Asanuma and Motoki, undoubtedly.

"_Bien!_" Miss Lanai clapped her hands together. "'ot Boy, you sit down next to me, and Matin, you sit in his lap, yes, just like in detention. Good. Okay. Bus driver, we are ready!"

The bus lurched into motion. Serena reached out to brace herself against the seat in front of her, then realized – there _was_ no seat in front of her. _Ooh, Miss Lanai planned this…_ She scowled and thumped back against Darien's chest.

"Oof!" The air left Darien's lungs in a whoosh. "Odango, do I _look_ like a couch?"

"Ha ha," grumbled Serena. "You're not nearly as comfy as a couch. Why does your chest have to be so hard?"

"_Excuse _mefor being buff."

"Buff?" Serena yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. "You wish, nerd-boy. Even steroids couldn't give you a six-pack."

"That's it. See if I ever give you a ride to school again."

The two continued to bicker the whole way to the museum…which was a good half-hour away. They both knew it was all in good fun and enjoyed themselves, but everyone else on the bus was thoroughly sick of them by the time they reached their destination.

"I guess they're not going out after all," muttered a freshman to his friend. "Those two are worse than cats and dogs."

* * *

"It is time for ze groups to part ways," announced Miss Lanai as the students poured off of the bus. "'ere are your maps, and 'ere are your schedules. We are all going to meet for lunch at twelve, and zen we are going to see ze new Crystal exhibit at one. _Vous comprenez?_"

Serena sucked in a breath. A banner hung from the yawning entrance of the museum, proclaiming, "New Crystal Exhibit! Featuring the famed Silver Crystal!"

"Serena-chan!" A hand latched into her arm, yanking her attention from the banner. She found herself being held a couple inches off the floor, eye-to-eye with an overzealous Asanuma. She felt suspiciously like a teddy bear. "Ready for some fun?"

Darien rolled his eyes, trying to be nonchalant – though he, too, had seen the banner and was thinking feverishly of ways to get to the crystal without being noticed. "Put her down, Numa."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Aw, you're just jealous that I'm strong enough to lift Serena-chan up and you're not." Asanuma winked at Serena.

"Oh, _please_," said Darien, rolling his eyes. "I could lift Odango up anyday, just watch."

Before Serena or Asanuma could even register what he had just said, Darien plucked Serena up and held her in the cradled position Tuxedo Mask usually caught Sailor Moon in. "See?" He smirked at Asanuma.

"Oh, yeah? Well – can you do this?" Asanuma reached for Serena, but Darien danced backwards out of reach. "Hey, no fair!

"Uh, HELLO?" Serena slammed the heel of her hand into Darien's sternum. As he groaned and crumpled in pain, she slipped out of his arms. "Do I LOOK like a barbell?"

"Maybe you don't look like one, but your IQ's are pretty similar," Darien wheezed out, rising to his feet. He still clutched his chest.

Serena's lower lip quivered. Darien blanched.

"Look at that!" exclaimed Asanuma accusingly. "You made Serena-chan cry! What kind of monster are you?"

"Um – an attractive one?" tried Darien.

But Asanuma would have none of it. He led Serena off, an arm around her shoulders. "C'mon, Serena, we'll leave the grumpy old Dare-bear behind…"

"Oh, come on!" Darien ran after them. "Serena, you know I was just joking – " he stopped dead as Serena fell out of Asanuma's arms to the ground, her shoulders shaking. "Serena!" He dropped to his knees and grabbed her shoulders, lifting her face. "Are you cry – Odango!"

"Sorry, Darien, it was just – so funny – we tricked you – and – oh!" Serena laughed helplessly, her cheeks wet not from tears of hurt but from tears of mirth.

"Oh, forget it." Darien hauled Serena to her feet. "I want to go check out the – "

"The gift shop!" burst out Asanuma. He grabbed Serena by one hand and yanked her toward the emporium.

"No, not yet," Darien grabbed Serena's other hand and pulled her toward the exhibit. "Learning first, shopping later."

"But Darien…." Serena and Asanuma both whined.

"Stop that!" commanded the black-haired eleventh-grader exasperatedly. "Numa, what'd you do with Motoki?"

"Huh? Oh, I think the last time I saw him he was sucking face with Reika by the water fountain…"

"Aw…" squealed Serena.

"Yuck," grimaced Darien.

"Rock candy!" shouted Asanuma.

"_No_," said Darien.

"Please?" pleaded Serena.

"GUYS!"

The trio turned to see Motoki jogging towards them.

"Toki, make Darien let us go to the gift shop," whined Asanuma. Then his eyes sharpened. "Hey, what are those red marks all over your face?"

"Huh?' Motoki blushed fire-engine red and scrubbed frantically at his face. "I – I don't know what you're talking about. Come on, let's go!" He literally ran towards the exhibits. Darien, Asanuma, and Serena exchanged evil grins and followed him.

* * *

They saw lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of rocks.

Needless to say, this was a pretty mind-numbing experience. By ten forty-five, the four high schoolers were so bored stiff that they were in danger of becoming rocks themselves.

And what was worse was that in the hours they'd spent wandering the exhibits, neither Darien nor Serena was able to escape to find the crystal. It was not for lack of trying, though. Each tried various tactics – for example, at eight-seventeen, Serena informed the boys that she was thirsty and was going to go purchase a soda. Motoki unintentionally ruined her plan by pulling a variety of chilled drinks – cola, lemon-lime, orange, grape, even milk – out of his backpack.

As for Darien, he tried the same excuse several times – "I've got to go to the bathroom" – only to have Asanuma exclaim, "Oh, man, me too!" and tag along.

So, by the time ten forty-five rolled around…

"Can we just go eat now?" begged Asanuma. "This is so _boring_…"

"But it's only quarter to eleven," pointed out Darien halfheartedly, referring to his watch.

"PLEASE?" This came from Asanuma, Motoki, AND Serena.

"Fine. But no food fights this time, do you hear me, Asanuma?"

But Asanuma and Motoki had both already sprinted off to the café, leaving Serena and Darien coughing in their dust.

Darien regarded Serena with surprise. "Aren't you going to run, too?"

The blonde girl yawned, stumbling a bit. "I would….but I'm so tired. Maybe more caffeine will help."

Darien watched her worriedly through his dark bleu eyes. This wasn't Serena. And the Serena he'd seen last night on her window seat – that hadn't been Serena, either.

In truth, Serena hadn't been herself for…what, the past two weeks?

"Here," he said suddenly, moving in front of her and crouching down a little. "You can ride."

Serena blinked at the upperclassmen, then at his back. "A…ride?"

"Yeah. On my back. Like that time you jumped on me when we were racing to school. C'mon."

Tentatively, Serena leaned forward and placed her arms around his neck. Darien stood up straight, slightly startled by how light she was, and headed towards the museum café.

They stopped right before they reached it so that Serena could slide off. Both were quite sure of what Toki and Numa's reactions would be if they were to catch them, in such a position.

"We already ordered for you," Motoki informed them when they entered the marble-countered café. "I figured I had a pretty good idea since I feed you guys every day anyways. Cheeseburgers and fries for both of you, Mountain Dew for Dare, and they didn't have milkshakes, so I figured you'd want some pink lemonade, Usa. I got the diet kind – "

"Motoki!" Asanuma roared.

"What? It's what Reika always orders!"

"Are you calling Serena-chan fat?"

"No, I just – "

As the two boys continued to bicker, Darien looked over at Serena. She was twirling a golden curl about her finger and staring hazily out into space. "Shall we find a table?"

"Yup." She looked around and pointed at a dimly-lit booth in the corner. "There?"

"Suits me."

They slid into the booth. Serena on one side and Darien on the other.

"So…" began Darien as he saw Serena's eyelids beginning to droop. "You didn't sleep at _all_ last night?"

"Oh, I slept some!" Serena sat up straight with an effort, focusing on him. "Just not, you know, a whole lot. I got a couple of hours. And the night before that, I got two hours…"

"You mean you didn't sleep Monday night either!"

"Well – "

"And you were up all night Saturday, too! But it wasn't even storming on Monday! Why were you up?"

"Who are you to be talking, Mr. Night Owl?" Serena shot back defensively. "You get rid of those bags under your eyes, and then we'll talk!"

Darien lifted a sinewy hand to his face. He hadn't realized that the evidence of his midnight sojourns showed so clearly. Time to change the subject. "Yeah, well, at least my bags aren't big enough to need their own seat on the bus," he said jokingly, referring to Miss Lanai.

Serena rolled her eyes. Darien wondered suddenly if she had deliberately picked this ill-lit booth in order to hide how bloodshot her eyes were.

"Why did she do that, anyway? Was she carrying something valuable?"

"I doubt it." Darien leaned back in the booth, knitting his fingers together behind his neck and propping his feet up on the seat next to Serena. "My theory is that she's in league with Toki and Numa."

"Now _that_'s a scary thought." Serena shivered. "Sorry about that, by the way."

"What?"

Serena flushed. "You know – sitting on you."

"Oh. That. It's no big deal. You're not very heavy, Odango."

"What?" Serena pretended to gasp. "Can I get that in writing, so that I can show it to you the next time you call me a blimp?"

"Speaking of blimps, here comes the kings of hot air themselves." Darien sat up and let his feet fall to the floor, then waved the two boys over. Asanuma slid into the booth next to Serena, and Motoki set a laded tray down on the table, then plopped down next to Darien.

True to his arcade-upbringing, he began to pass out food. "Darien's cheeseburger, Numa's nachos, my fruit salad…"

"I wonder if there's some sort of significance in Toki eating a fruit salad," Darien muttered to Serena. They burst into laughter, causing Motoki and Asanuma to look up at them in puzzlement.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Asanuma whispered to Motoki.

Motoki frowned and shook the ketchup bottle. "That these ketchup bottle desperately need to be refilled? Yes. What kind of business do these people thinkt hey're running!" He stood up indignantly. "I'm gonna go ask for some ketchup packets."

"Yeah, yeah, you do that, Lunch Lady." Asanuma turned back to Serena and Darien. "Do either of you two want your tomatoes…what?" he demanded as they burst into hysterics again. "Why are you laughing! Is there something on my face?"

"Tomato's….a…fruit!" gasped Serena, face pink from lack of air. Her pigtails shook as she clutched her ribs. Darien was in a similar state, swiping tears from his eyes.

It didn't take Asanuma long to get the joke. He was, after, all the class clown.

"Oh, yeah, I get it," he said slowly. "Fruit. I'm fruity. Ha ha." He laughed robotically for a moment, then stopped, brows knitting. "Actually, that's not as funny as you two are making it out to be…HA! I just said you two were MAKING OUT! Now THAT'S funny!"

"Who was making out?" asked Motoki curiously, returning with an armful of ketchup packets.

"I wish _I _was," said Asanuma, eyes following a willowy brunette who sauntered past their table. "Hey, Serena-chan, you know your friend – aw, no, never mind."

"What, Numa?" asked Serena curiously.

He shook his head. "No, it's nothing."

Serena and Darien exchanged frowns. Both were thinking, _Asanuma's never sounded that serious before…_

Motoki, on the other hand, had a good idea of who Asanuma had been about to mention. He kept his mouth shut, however. Some things were best kept secret.

But the atmosphere was suddenly very heavy. To lighten it – and to distract Serena and Darien from wondering what Asanuma had been talking about – Motoki suddenly tore open a ketchup packet and squirted its contents at Asanuma.

Asanuma sputtered, his face dripping with the red condiment. "What the hell – TOKI!"

Serena and Darien laughed, watching as Asanuma snatched afat yellow bottle of mustard from a nearby table and aimed it as Motoki, hitting him square in the chest, then right in his open mouth. Motoki retaliated by grabbing his nacho cheese and pelting his chest with it.

"Serena-chan!" Asanuma howled, looking mournfully at his empty cheese container. "HELP MEEEEEE!"

Serena, giggling, scampered out of the booth and procured a ketchup bottle from the counter. She joined forces with Asanuma to hit Motoki from both sides, causing him to squeal like a pig and hop up and down, then she turned her weapon on Darien, who was calmly chowing down on French fries.

"WHAT THE – ?" thundered Darien as the first stream squirted into his ear. He leapt up and spun. "ODANGO!"

* * *

The hallways were empty. It was twelve-fifteen. The hallways of the museum were, for the most, part, deserted. All of the Azabu High School students were in the middle of eating lunch in the cafeteria – except for Darien, Motoki, and Asanuma, who had been sent to the restroom to wash the condiments from their hair and face.

Serena, too, had been sent to wash off – but the ladies' room wasn't where she was headed. No, her destination was the new crystal exhibit. To find the Silver Crystal…

She was ready. She was ready. She was SURE she was ready.

Serena took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She _had_ to do this. Sailor Senshi or not, she was still a human being, and she had a responsibility to her fellow homo sapiens not to let the Dark Kingdom get ahold of the Silver Crystal. No matter how much she wanted to say "screw it all," and go back to squirting ketchup at Darien and Motoki. No matter how much she wanted to just lie down and go to sleep. No matter how much she wanted to forget all about the Sailor Senshi and their – _well, **our**, I guess – _stupid princess.

And that was why she was tiptoeing quietly down the deserted marble halls towards the crystal exhibit.

The thought hit her that if a straight C student like herself had guessed that the Silver Crystal would be here, then it surely would have occurred to a genius like Ami. What if they ran into each other? Would she be as murderously inclined towards Serena as Luna had been? _I really hope not…_

_Too late to worry about it now._ The banner proclaiming "SILVER CRYSTAL!" was right ahead of her, hung across two gargantuan marble columns. Beyond the pillars, Serena could see spotless glass cases of glinting stones and pedestals mounted with gleaming gems. One of them was the Silver Crystal….

She took a step forward, then hesitated. She felt as though she had forgotten something…as if she should wait for something…

"Odango!" hissed a voice suddenly.

She gasped and whirled, only to find herself face to face with none other than Darien. Go figure.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I – uh – I was looking for the bathroom," Serena fibbed glibly. "I don't think those onion rings sat so well with my stomach…"

Darien rolled his eyes. "What have I told you about lying?"

"Darn." Serena scowled to herself. _Why does he have to be so nosy?_ "I wanted to look at that new Silver Crystal everyone's so psyched up about."

"The whole class is coming to see it after lunch. Why not wait?"

Hmm. He had her there. "Well, there were going to be so many people…and, you know, I'm so short, I didn't think I'd be able to see even if I tried standing on my tiptoes…" _Ha! He can't refute that!_ She smirked. "Is that a logical enough explanation for you, nerd-boy?"

Darien looked actually amused for a moment. She noted as he grinned that there was still a bit of ketchup smeared on his nose. She reached up and wiped it off. Then she stood there with her arm still hanging in the air, unsure what to do with the ketchup on her fingers.

Darien's grin widened as he noticed her consternation her predicament. Fueled by his infuriating expression, Serena stuck her tongue out at him and rubbed the ketchup off on his starched white collar.

Darien's mouth dropped open. "_Odango_!"

"Yes, Shields-senpai?" she answered innocently.

"You…." He made a low rumbling sound in his throat and placed his hands on either side of her neck, as though he was about to strangle her. "If Waishatsu writes me up for this, I'm going to kill you."

"Why?" Serena laughed merrily. "You can just say you dribbled when you were eating lunch."

"And make him think I'm a slob like you? I don't think so – "

_Tip. Tap. Pit. Pat._

They froze. Unbeknownst to each other, each had a chill running up their spines. A chill reminiscent of…the Dark Kingdom.

"Someone's coming," whispered Serena, trying to think of an excuse to get Darien out of the vicinity. "We're going to get in trouble! Maybe we're not supposed to be here without our chaperones – "

"Over there." Darien jabbed Serena in the back, pushing her behind a pillar. She pressed back against it, and Darien stood close in front of her, their uniforms brushing. He muttered something suddenly and grabbed hold of one of her pigtails and tucked it – not at all gently – behind her head. In order to do so, one of his arms almost completely encircled her, and Serena's insides abruptly twisted.Darien's arm then returned to where it was propped against the column. His back was to her once more. She breathed in an inaudible sigh of relief and rested her face against the cool marble of the pillar. From this new vantage point, she had a clear view of the hallway – and the person entering it. First came a black high-heeled pump, then a swishy skirt. Then a face came into view – and it was Zoicite's!

Serena's hand flew automatically to her brooch, but collided with something – Darien's back. He had suddenly drawn further back into their niche.

Her mind flew at 300,000 kilometers a second. She had to transform and prevent Zoicite from getting the crystal – but Darien would see her transform!

Her hand hit something in her pocket. Her fingers closed around it, recognizing it as her Luna Pen. She yanked it out and bonked Darien on the head with it.

He crumpled, and he hadn't even reached the floor before pink lights shot out in all directions.

An instant later, Sailor Moon crouched down beside him. "Sorry," she grunted out, lugging him back behind the pillar where he would be hidden from sight. She swayed slightly on her feet as she did so, limbs trembling. Transformed or not, she REALLY needed sleep…

Her boot heels clicked on the marble floor as she ran to intercept Zoicite.

"Zoicite!"

The general turned. As her jade-colored eyes swept across Sailor Moon's, then teen felt a sudden wave of …_something_ wash over her. She stared at the general a moment, mouth dry. What did one say to someone who, during your last conversation, told you that you were headed for h, e, double hockey sticks?

"_Sailor Moon._" The general reached into her pocket. Sailor Moon tensed, preparing for a weapon of some sort. "_Or…would you prefer that I call you Serena? Or Miss Tsukino, perhaps?"_

"What do you – "

Zoicite held up something white and red. Sailor Moon's mind flashed back to the battle at the movie theater –

"_Does it look familiar?_" She tossed the crumpled piece of cloth to Sailor Moon. "_My Queen thought that you might want it back._"

The superheroine caught it robotically. She held it for a moment, then, seeing no other way to keep hold of the incriminating clue to her identity, stuffed it down the front of her fuku.

This action seemed to amuse Zoicite. _"Yes, I suppose you could use some padding down there, couldn't you? You can't hold a candle to My Queen."_

Sailor Moon blinked. This was a REALLY bizarre conversation. And she couldn't help but feel slightly offended. She was a nice healthy B, after all…

"Wait, I thought you were a girl, Zoicite!"

Zoicite arched an eyebrow. _"And your point is?"_

"Um….nothing." Sailor Moon shook her head to clear it. She glanced behind her, over her shoulder, and saw It.

It was a monster of a thing, had to at least twenty karats. It sat on a huge bed of blood-red velvet in the center of the room, and seemed to wink slyly at her. A sign stood in front of it that read simply, "Silver Crystal."

"You're not getting it," Sailor Moon said, turning back to glare at Zoicite.

_"Is that so_?"

Sailor Moon gulped and squared her shoulders. "Yes."

"_That's quite a bold statement, considering that I know who you are." Zoicite took a step closer, lips curving. "I could reveal your civilian identity to the media, blow up your school, have your family killed –_ "

Sailor Moon's knees buckled. "No – "

"_Yes_," confirmed Zoicite, stepping closer yet. "_Where's your boyfriend? Tuxedo Mask. I've been wanting to have a chat with him…"_

"Likewise." A lean figure swathed in black dropped down on the other side of the room. Blue eyes glinted out from his mask. "It's high time we had a heart to heart, Zoicite."

"_Unfortunately, our tete-a-tete shall have to wait for another day_," replied Zoicite casually. "_A cold day in hell, perhaps, when Sailor Moon can join us as well." _

Sailor Moon sucked in a breath.

Zoicite cast her a feral grin, the general lunged forward, hands opening to grab the crystal – but a black cane knocked her fingers aside. Zoicite let out a grunt and froze, moving one hand back to hover above the Silver Crystal.

The other hand lifted and pointed palm-out towards a deathly pale Sailor Moon. A crystal shard, huge, sharp, and deadly, shimmered into existence.

"_You want it?" _Zoicite hissed. "_It's yours. But I'll kill her._"

Tuxedo Mask froze. His dark eyes darted to Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon twitched, just a minute distance, and Zoicite's crystal shard followed her. The blonde stilled like a frightened rabbit, eyes wide. Her shoulders slumped; it was clear to all parties involved that she was expecting to die. And it was clear to Tuxedo Mask why she had such expectations, after what he'd done at the jewelry store.

There was the Silver Crystal. It could unlock his past.

But there was Sailor Moon. And he wanted her to be his future.

Tuxedo Mask didn't think anything else after that. He leapt for Sailor Moon, shielding her with his cape and blindly hurling a barrage of roses towards Zoicite. He heard her shriek – and then there was a deafening _BOOOM!_

Tuxedo Mask cautiously lowered a corner of his cape with one hand. The other remained locked around Sailor Moon's waist.

"_YOU!"_ shrieked Zoicite in rage. She stood in the middle of a blackened circle, uniform scorched and charred, hair smoking. She looked like Satan himself…but with, you know, those body parts that filled a bra. "You weren't supposed to choose HER!"

Tuxedo Mask, much to his own dismay, had no idea what she was talking about. He could only curse as Zoicite sent a fresh blizzard of crystal shards hurtling towards them and disappeared.

One-handed, he spun his cane around so swiftly that it blurred. It deflected most of the shards; a couple made it past his vigilant defenses and nicked him, but the important thing – in his eyes – was that none of them reached Sailor Moon.

Eventually, the shards ran out. Tuxedo Mask rocked back on his heels, panting. He felt something move at his side, and cool air rushed in against his skin as Sailor Moon crawled away from him. He looked over at her, biting back the words that wanted to tumble out.

She looked so much more exhausted now, now that he knew what to look for, now that he knew she wasn't the carefree sweetheart he'd taken her to be. He saw the dark smudges beneath her eyes, caught the way her limbs trembled, noted the translucence of her skin. She was no invulnerable angel. She was mortal. She was a mere human being, just like him. And that just made him lo – _like_ her more.

"Why'd you do that?"

He shook himself out of his tangled thoughts. "What?"

"You saved me. Why? I thought you were our enemy?"

His mouth tasted sour. "No – "

"You gave up the Crystal for me."

He mustered a smile. "You're more important to me than a hunk of compressed carbon any day."

"But…you helped me." Sailor Moon seemed to be in shock, her blue eyes wide and wondering. "You're _not_ our enemy?"

Thinking of the Sailor Senshi's behavior last night, Tuxedo Mask wasn't so sure he could honestly promise this.

"I'll never hurt you," he settled for instead. "If nothing else, you can believe that will never change, Sailor Moon."

Tears sparkled in the corners of her eyes. The next thing he knew, she had thrown her arms around his neck and squeezed him. Hard. He hugged her back just as tight, thinking that there was far more to this young superheroine than he knew. And instead of basking in the sensation of her silken hair and warm arms, he was worrying that she might not last the next couple of battles, much less until he mustered up enough courage to tell her…how he felt…which would be when hell froze over…and there was that place popping up again…he _had_ to know…

"Sailor Moon…"

She pulled back, hands slipping back down to her lap. "Sorry," she whispered shamefacedly. "I didn't mean to – throw myself at you like that – " Her eyes, in their attempt to look at anything but him, landed on the charred circle in the middle of the room. She gasped.

"The crystal's gone!"

At first, panic flooded Tuxedo Mask's veins. He spun to scour the room with his eyes, for any sign of the crystal, then realized that Zoicite had been far too incensed for her to have gotten away with the crystal. And since it was no longer in the room….it must be gone. Destroyed. No longer in existence.

Which meant that the dreams would stop. The princess would disappear, and he wouldn't have to worry about competing with both the Senshi and the Dark Kingdom for a hunk of rock.

Relief washed over him. A pervading, bone-deep, grin-inducing sensation of…._freedom._

He looked at Sailor Moon, grinning. Was it just him, or could he see a slight curve of her lips as she realized the same thing he did? It seemed as though her eyes were sparkling brighter, her face had more color.

"It's…gone," she breathed, staring up at him. Oh, she felt so light! As though she could fly! If the crystal was gone… "For good?"

"It seems like it – "

"Over here, Luna!" A new voice rang out in the echoing marble hallway. A blue-haired, blue fuku-clad girl skidded into the room. "The spike of dark energy originated somewhere in this vicinity!"

A black cat sprang in after Sailor Mercury. Tuxedo Mask eyed it suspiciously. Wasn't that –

"You!" The cat hissed suddenly, slitted eyes landing on Sailor Moon. Her fur stood up on end, and her tail pointed straight up like a spear. So the cat talked. Great. Could his life GET any more whacked-out?

Tuxedo Mask winced. What a situation for Sailor Mercury to catch them in. She would think that Zoicite's dark blast had been generated by _him_. Not the best thing for his already less than golden record.

"Where's the crystal? You gave it to them, didn't you? Let your little boyfriend have it?"

Sailor Moon shrank back from the spitting cat. Watching through narrowed eyes, Tuxedo Mask couldn't help but think that this feline reminded him of Rei. That thought alone, as he remembered how terrified and wretched Serena had looked at the temple the other day, caused him to intervene, putting a hand on Sailor Moon's shoulder. He knew it would enrage the cat and Mercury and also encourage their belief of Sailor Moon as a traitor, but he didn't care.

She flinched away from him at first, glancing skittishly up with frightened eyes, then relaxed slightly, leaning towards him tiredly.

"Luna, the crystal's gone," she said, voice a little stronger, "It was here, and Zoicite was about to take it, then Tuxedo Mask stopped her." She stopped and took a deep breath. "Then…she gave him a choice between the crystal and me, and…Tuxedo Mask saved me. Then Zoicite got really mad and disappeared. There was an explosion, and the crystal wasn't here anymore – but Zoicite didn't take it, we know she didn't – "

"The Silver Crystal wasn't here," interrupted Sailor Mercury suddenly. She clacked crazily away at her computer. "My PC has been programmed to recognize the Crystal's puissance, and and it wasn't here at all. There was definitely a blast of dark energy, though."

"The – the crystal isn't gone?" Sailor Moon faltered. _No. No. _"No!"

Everyone's eyes swiveled toward the small blonde.

"It has to be gone…" she whispered, lifting pained eyes to Mercury. "Please, Mercury – you're just making a mistake, right? Or – you're trying to trick Zoicite in case she's still watching?"

Mercury shook her head, watching her former leader almost suspiciously.

"WITCH! TRAITOR!" Luna screamed suddenly. "If it came down to a choice between your life and the crystal, you should have picked the crystal! You'll never have half the power it has! You should have picked the crystal, DO YOU HEAR ME!" Her voice was growing hoarse, and spittle flew from her mouth to land on her quivering whiskers. Her eyes were rolling crazily around; she almost looked to be going into a seizure. "THE PRINCESS'S CRYSTAL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU! THE PRINCESS WILL ALWAYS BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU! THE PRINCESS IS YOUR _LIFE_! DO YOU HEAR ME? **DO YOU HEAR ME**!"

"That's ENOUGH!" snarled Tuxedo Mask. One arm snaked around Sailor Moon's waist; the other gripped his cane tightly and took a swipe at Luna. It cracked against her ribcage and threw her against the wall.

The cat, eyes focusing a little more after the impact, staggered back to her feet, then bounded towards Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon, howling incomprehensible words.

Tuxedo Mask leapt up, taking Sailor Moon with him, and grabbed hold of some of the ornate filigree encircling its top. "Hold on," he told Sailor Moon, freeing one hand from the grip it had around her waist to throw down a hail of roses.

His aim was perfect. They dug into the soft marble surrounding Luna and caged her in, preventing her from following Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon. He re-knotted his arms around Sailor Moon and dropped back to the ground, breaking into a run and not stopping until they reached a deserted patch of shadows. One rose took care of a security camera. And for once, he didn't even feel guilty about damaging private property.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, brushing some hair back from her face. "She's a psycho!"

Sailor Mon sniffled turning her face away from him, and he looked away to give her a moment to wipe the evidence of her tears.

"She…wasn't always like this," she said finally. "It was only a few weeks ago…she started going crazy…got this crazy idea that I was working with the Dark Kingdom…she and Mars and Mercury already thought that you were helping the generals, and when I tried to tell them you were on our side…" she sniffed again. "They got kinda mad." She mustered a weak smile.

"So you're not working with them anymore?"

Sailor Moon shook her head sadly, her bangs brushing his. "I guess not. They don't trust me. Mercury won't talk to me, and…well, you saw Luna." Her voice lowered, barely even a whisper. "She wants to kill me."

"WHAT?" His head jerked up. _Well, c'mon, Dare it shouldn't be that big a surprise, you saw how that thing was foaming back there. And after Mars last night – _He grabbed Sailor Moon's shoulders. "Sailor Moon, answer me! If you're in danger, I need to know!"

Her head lifted slightly. "Why?" she asked blankly. Her eyes were hazy. "You're not my bodyguard…or my boyfriend…you don't even know me."

He pulled her hair back from her eyes with his thumbs and tilted her face up so he could see her. "You think any of that's going to stop me from trying to protect you?" He laughed, somewhat self-deprecatingly. "Even if I didn't want to, I don't have a choice. Every time you transform, I feel it, Sailor Moon. And I have to transform and find you. So answer my question."

"Stop being so bossy," she whispered suddenly, pulling back. His eyes were somewhat clearer. "Would everyone stop being so bossy to me? I'm not some little idiot! I'm a person! Stop trying to make me do things! Stop!"

"Whoah, whoah." He held out his hands. "Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to sound like that."

Sailor Moon shook her head, fingers coming up to her temples. "I know…I know." She let out a sigh. "It's just…a lot of stuff. I'm sorry. I shouldn't take it out on you like that."

_I wish you would,_ thought Tuxedo Mask. _I'd like us to be friends. And maybe more…no, stop it, Shields…_

"It's fine," he said instead. "But I really wish that you would tell me what's going on. I feel like I'm in the dark."

Sailor Moon started to giggle.

"What?"

"Nothing…" she giggled, somewhat hysterically. He wondered cryptically if he needed to take her to the hospital. "You just said that you were in the dark…and you're wearing all black…it's funny!"

Tuxedo Mask blinked. It didn't seem all that funny to him…But maybe it was. Did it really matter if it was funny or not? It would be nice to be able to laugh under these circumstances. That was how people survived life, after all. By finding ways to laugh. Just look at Serena. She found things to appreciate and laugh at every day, and look what a strong and fulfilled person she was. Yes, it was sort of funny how he was wearing all black and he was in the dark…

He let out a little laugh, too.

"I…I have to go," gasped Sailor Moon, when their laughter had died away.

He sobered suddenly. "But – I want to know what Zoicite meant when she told you – "

But Sailor Moon was already gone.

* * *

"Darien!" Serena didn't have to fake the panic in her voice. After all, she had returned to the pillar and found Darien gone – her mind had conjured up gruesome images, quickly dispelling any warmth Tuxedo Mask's laughter had inspired in her heart. "You disappeared! I – you fainted, and I ran to get help, and then there was this explosion, and – "

"Would you calm down, please?" Darien asked absently, gingerly fingering the knob on the back of his head. That had _not_ been a simple fainting spell. He was just lucky that his psychometry had roused him so quickly, or Sailor Moon might have been a goner… He brought his hand in front of his face to check for blood from his head and noticed that myriad cuts slashed his skin – souvenirs from Zoicite's crystal shards. He quickly jammed his hands in his pockets before Serena could see. "Where is everyone?"

"They're still at lunch…" said Serena, then clapped a hand over her mouth, realizing her mistake. But Darien didn't seem to notice her slip-up. He strode forward. She stayed where she was.

He paused and looked back over his shoulder. "Are you coming?"

Serena tripped forwards, yawning. "Hold your horses…"

"What are we going to tell them?" Darien muttered to himself as the tenth-grader fell into step beside him.

"_MATIIIIIIIIIIIN!_" Miss Lanai's distinctive voice rang out in the echoing hallway.

The teacher threw herself into Serena, flinging her arms around her. "Are you alright, dahrling? We 'eard ze 'uge boom! You look faint, do you need food? Some sugar? Soda? Water? You are not 'urt, are you? Are you?"

Several men and women in uniforms came barreling in. Miss Lanai's grip tightened painfully around Serena's shoulders.

"My pupil 'as been injured!" she barked at the museum employees. "Where is your security around 'ere? My students 'ave been traumatized!" She drew Serena closer. "'Ope zat we do not sue your derrieres off! My school will be leaving _maintenant!_"

Thrusting her nose in the air, Miss Lanai grabbed Darien by the scruff of his collar and marched them both out of the room, all the way out to the parking lot.

Once there, she let go of Darien and cupped Serena's face in her hands. Itw as the second time in twenty minutes that someone had held Serena's face in their hands, and Serena felt a strange tingle along the skin there, rather like a weak electric shock.

"Are you sure you are alright, Matin?" she asked seriously, eyes searching from behind her glasses. "You are not 'urt?"

"I'm fine," Serena insisted, vaguely discomfited. "We don't have to leave, really – "

"Pfft. Stay here. I must go and speak wiz ze administration." Miss Lanai let go of Serena and looked at Darien sternly. "Take care of Matin."

"I don't want everyone else to miss out on the field trip because of me," murmured Serena as Miss Lanai left and she followed Darien onto one of the waiting school buses.

"Stop worrying about it, Odango. We'd have to leave anyways, after what happened." Darien stopped in front of a seat right beneath the air conditioner and flashed her a grin. "Besides, this means that we get our own seats this time."

* * *

When a rowdy and disappointed group of high schoolers tramped onto the bus fifteen minutes later, they found an unexpected sight.

A sudden hush fell over the bus, followed by the metallic plunks of several jaws hitting the floor.

"I've GOT to be dreaming," muttered Motoki, scrubbing his eyeballs with his fists.

"So those pictures were real," murmured a freshman somewhere in the back of the bus. "Shields and Serena are really a couple?"

"Of COURSE they are!" shouted Asanuma unabashedly, spinning around in his seat to address the whole bus. "The real question we should be asking ourselves is – who has a camera?"

A mad scramble ensued as everyone rummaged around or their digital cameras or camera phones.

The sound, though loud, failed to rouse Serena or Darien from the exhausted slumber they had fallen into. Neither did any of the numerous speed bumps and pot holes the bus encountered while driving the teenagers back to school.

Instead, Serena's head rested beneath Darien's chin the whole way home.

* * *

**A/N:** Awww….

Yeah, Luna's weird in this chapter. I know she is. But I DO have a reason for it. In fact, there's very little in this chapter that has not been carefully pondered and analyzed. (Blech.) Um…please review, even if you're mad at me, lest I wither away into moondust…tell me if I need to make Darien tougher, or more nerdy, or if I should just stick with him as the uptight guy…

By the way, _asticots_ means "maggots" in French. And _poulet_ is slang for "hooker." Do you guys think I should start adding, like, a list of French to English words at the end of the chapter?

**Remember:** I LOVE to hear what you liked; I NEED to hear what you didn't like!


	20. Hot Guys & Manly Perfume

**A/N:** 500 reviews! You guys ROCK! I'm so happy…you guys are so wonderful…and summer school is over (although to tell the truth, now that I've spent three days without seeing my friends, I rather wish it wasn't. Over, I mean.) Anyways – this chapter's kinda short, but I hope you like it.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** If I was Naoko Takeuchi, I wouldn't be posting this story on the web. I would be publishing it and making oodles of cash to spend.

* * *

**Subject to Change**

Chapter Twenty: Hot Guys and Manly Perfume

* * *

Night still draped the sky when Serena's eyelashes began to flutter open the next morning. The grey light of pre-dawn had bleached the color of everything, from Serena's blonde hair to her purple comforter.

Serena's mind felt curiously clean after the almost eighteen hours of sleep she had gotten. Everything – all her thoughts, all her emotions, all the events of the past week – was spread out neatly in front of her mind's eye. She felt detached, as though she were looking at a map.

_Miss Lanai has a crystal of some sort. The Crystal is still somewhere on Earth. Miss Lanai might be the princess. Our souls belong to the princess, and we're going to hell. Miss Lanai might know that I'm a Sailor Senshi. Sailor Mercury followed a spike of dark energy and found us. Tuxedo Mask is on our – _my_ side. Now Luna, Ami, and Rei are sure that I'm working with the Dark Kingdom. Zoicite knows who I am._

Serena snapped up in her bed, panic crashing down on her. "Zoicite knows who I am – oh my God." She scrambled out of her blankets and to her closet, hopping hurriedly into her clothes. "What if they do something? What do I do if they do something?"

Halfway through zipping up her uniform skirt, she stopped. "She said they could come after my family. Oh, God, oh God, what do I do?"

Serena's panicked blue eyes roved around the room until they landed on her communicator. It sat on her nightside table, buttons dim. Rei wouldn't take her in now, nor would Ami, and even if they would, she couldn't put them in danger like that.

She couldn't even ask Luna what to do. She was on her own.

She was all alone.

"Serena!" A knock on her bedroom door sent Serena diving for her brooch, which sat beside her communicator. Then she realized that the voice belonged to her mother, and she relaxed – but only slightly.

"Sweetheart? Are you awake? Your father and I are leaving now! Come on, you sleepyhead, you need to start getting up on time by yourself! No one's going to be here to drag you out of bed for a while!"

"Huh?" Serena frowned in confusion, running to yank open the door. She blinked up at her mother. "What are you talking about?"

Ikuko's smile dimmed a little. "Oh, Serena, don't tell me you've forgotten – " The bewildered expression on her daughter's face confirmed her suspicion. "Serena, we've been talking about this trip for _weeks_! Papa and I are going to that journalism conference, remember?" She groaned. "Oh, Serena, how are we going to leave you alone to fend for yourself for a whole week if you can't even remember a trip that we've told you about fifty times?"

"Oh, Mom!" Serena forced a laugh, flashing her mother a dazzling smile. "I was just kidding! _Of course_ I remember your trip! Um – what about, um, Sammy?"

"He's on his school trip to Osaka, remember?" Ikuko regarded her daughter again, with slight suspicion lurking in her eyes. "Honey, are you_ sure_ you're going to be alright on your own? We could call Molly's mom, or maybe I should just stay home – "

"Mom! Come on, I'm almost sixteen!" Serena pushed her mother out of her bedroom. "I can handle it, okay?" _And I need you away in case Zoicite comes after me…they won't do anything to you, will they? Will they?_

Serena clutched her mother's arm tightly. _This could be the last time I ever see you – and there's nothing I can do about it – _

"Serena?" Ikuko gently pried her daughter's fingers from her arm and took her by the shoulders. "Is something wrong? I'll stay home, really, honey, it's no problem – "

"I'm fine." Serena's voice was muffled as she buried her face in her mother's shoulder. "I'm just giving you a hug, that's all. I'm gonna miss you, Mom."

"Oh. Honey." Ikuko squeezed her daughter tightly. "I'll miss you, too." She pulled back, smoothing Serena's tousled blonde hair back from her forehead. "You be good, okay? No staying out all night at Toki's, no boys, no parties – "

Serena snorted. "Mom. Please. As if I have anyone to invite _to_ a party."

Ikuko's eyebrows furrowed. She opened her mouth to say something, but a horn suddenly honked outside.

"C'mon, Ikuko-ko, we're going to be late!"

"OKAY!" Ikuko hollered back, revealing where Serena had gotten her lungs from.

"Tell him bye from me," said Serena.

"I will. He thought you were still asleep." Ikuko pulled her daughter close one more time. "Don't be so glum, okay, honeybun? Life's too short to be sad. Besides, remember what the doctor says – "

"I know, I know." Serena made a face, but a light had kindled in her blue eyes. "It takes more muscles to frown than to smile."

"That's right!" Ikuko enfolded Serena in another hug. "Ooh, I miss you already!"

"IKUKOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"I'm COMING!" Ikuko bellowed back at her husband. She pulled away from Serena, who followed her to the front steps. "Bye, sweetheart!"

Serena waved. "Bye!"

"SERENA!" Her father had rolled down his window and was staring at her, his face mottling red.

"Love you, daddy!" called Serena, unsure of what was turning her father's face such a strange color. Was he having a heart attack?

Then a breath of cool morning air brushed the skin on her chest – a chest that _should_ have been covered by her shirt…except that her shirt wasn't there. Looking down, Serena realized that she had walked outside wearing nothing but her school skirt and a bra!

Serena's face turned the same color as her father's. She spun and dashed back into the house, slamming the door behind her. She found herself looking straight into the startled blue eyes of her flushed, panting reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall of the living room. She stared at it a moment, then suddenly laughed. She laughed at herself, at her father's expression, and at the world.

Her mother was right. She didn't have time to be sad. Being sad took too much energy. And it never got anything done, either. Look at how much moping around he'd been doing lately!

Depressed Serena had had her turn. Now it was time for someone happier to take the wheel.

* * *

It was a gorgeous morning. The sun was nowhere to be found, and plump grey clouds hid the sky from sight. Every now and then, a lone raindrop plopped down on Serena's nose or trickled down her scalp, and each time one did, the smile on Serena's face widened.

Other pedestrians hustled past, elbowing and jostling each other in their haste to get out from under this ominous sky. Serena, on the other hand, took her time: school would not start for another hour, and she had rarely walked to school in weather as pleasant as this. Usually, on a spring morning like this, the sun beat down and it was horribly humid, so that by the time she reached school, her uniform was so sweaty that it stuck to her like a second skin. But today, the air was cool, the sun was absent, and her uniform remained pleasantly dry. It was enough to make Serena wonder if the weather was going out of its way just to make her day better.

"Thank you, Mr. Sky!" Serena directed her gratitude upwards, tilting her head back to grin up at said benefactor. "Arigatou, Mr. and Mrs. Clouds!"

Another fat raindrop plopped down on Serena's nose, as if to say, "You're welcome." The small blonde laughed delightedly and continued to school.

The day only continued to get better. Darien happened to be walking past as she entered the school gates, and loud renditions of "Serena and Darien, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G-G" broke out from all fronts. But Serena didn't mind. Because Darien rolled his eyes at her, and she rolled hers back, and she knew he felt the same way she did. And it was nice, to be part of a conspiracy. To be _part_ of something. So that she wasn't on her own, or all alone.

"Well, good morning, Serena," said Miss Haruna in surprise as Serena skipped into the classroom. "You're early today…any particular reason?"

"I got a LOT of sleep yesterday." Serena hopped up on top of her desk, swinging her legs back and forth.

Miss Haruna smirked as she pulled out a piece of chalk. "Oh, yes, the whole school was afire with what transpired between you and Mr. Shields yesterday."

Serena grinned good-naturedly. "They're crazy. Nothing transpa…transpo… _transpired_ between us." She paused. "Miss H, do you have a dictionary in here?"

Miss Haruna hid a smile and pointed at her desk. Serena sidled over and riffled through the huge red book. Then she sidled back over to her desk. "Nope, nothing transpired. Nothing at all!"

"I must say that you picked the right day to be early for class," commented Miss Haruna. "It just so happens that we have a new student arriving today. I believe she transferred from Seijou High."

"Really? Awesome!" Serena bounced up and down excitedly.

"I thought you'd be pleased. After all, you became such good friends with our last transfer student – that nice girl Ami. I hope things turn out just as well with – hmm, what's her name? Aha, here it is. Lita. Lita Kino."

Serena's ardor cooled slightly. _I hope things between me and Lita DON'T end up the same as between me and Ami._

The bell rang. Students poured in. One stood out like a sore thumb, and not only because she was new. She was a good fifteen centimeters taller than any of the other girls (and therefore a good twenty-five centimeters taller than Serena). Her tall frame wore the white and brown uniform instead of Azabu's blue and red, and a humungous green and yellow bruise encircled her right eye.

Needless to say, the class quieted down much faster than usual that day. The tall, brown-haired girl walked inside and stood at the front of the room, slouching against the whiteboard with her arms crossed against her chest. Her aloof, slightly grumpy demeanor reminded Serena of Darien the first time she had met him. He, too, had stood off to the side with his arms folded and his eyes narrowed as if he didn't give a care about the rest of the world.

The similarity only made Serena more eager to make friend with Lita.

"Class, before we move on to calculating the volumes of regularly-shaped prisms, we have a new student to introduce. Her name is Lita Kino, and as you can tell, she transferred to our school from Seijou High. Miss Kino, would you like to tell the class anything about yourself?"

Lita shook her head, her ponytail bouncing.

"Alright then." Miss Haruna tapped her chin. "Now, time to get you a guide. Does anyone volunteer to show Lita around school for the next couple of days?"

"Ooh! Me!" Serena's hand shot up into the air, practically yanking the rest of her body up, too. "PLEASE, Miss Haruna!"

Lita shot Serena a confused look out of her good eye. Serena returned it with a friendly grin.

"It looks like you have a very enthusiastic volunteer, Lita," said Miss Haruna. _Thank goodness Serena is so eager. Everyone else in the class is scared stiff of this new girl._ "Sit down next to Miss Tsukino, would you, please?"

"Hi!" whispered Serena loudly as Lita folded herself (with some effort) into the desk. "I'm Serena, but you can call me – well, anything you want to. Except Odango."

"Why not Odango?" Lita raised an eyebrow. 'Don't you like dumplings?"

"Are you kidding? I LOVE dumplings! But – well, it's a long story – "

"Serena, I realize that you have a lot of energy from your nap on the bus yesterday – " The whole class tittered, Serena flushed, and Lita frowned puzzledly. " – but it needs to be saved for later. Okay?"

"Yes, Miss H.," said Serena guiltily, but she winked at Lita, who looked somewhat startled by the gesture.

* * *

"Argh, finally FREE!" Serena cheered, stretching her arms as she and Lita emerged from English class four hours later. "Well, for forty-five minutes, anyway."

"You get forty-five minutes for lunch?" Lita wore a small frown between her eyebrows.

"Yeah. Not anywhere NEARLY enough, right?"

Lita shrugged.

"Hey, Lita – do you wanna eat lunch with me?" Serena asked shyly, scuffing her shoe against the linoleum. "I mean, I totally understand if you don't – "

"Me?" Lita pointed at herself and looked around. "Are you talking to me?" Serena nodded. "Don't you have friends you'd rather hang out with?"

"Me? No, not really," Serena said sadly, thinking of the good old days when she'd never had to worry about eating lunch alone.

"Are you serious?" demanded Lita. "A pretty little blonde ball of energy like you? Aren't you some cheerleader with a quarterback boyfriend and a pop-pop squad to drink mineral water and eat salad with low-fat dressing on it with?"

"Um." Serena blinked. "No. I'll be eating by myself if you don't want to sit with me."

"Oh." Lita cleared her throat, then scratched her neck sheepishly. "Okay, then."

Conversation flowed a lot more easily after that. It had yet to rain, and Lita insisted that it was far too nice outside to eat lunch in the cafeteria. Serena readily agreed, as so they set up camp beneath an oak tree in the courtyard, chattering about everything under the sun.They squealed, as girls are wont to do, over hot guys, complained about bad hair days (Lita insisted she was having one that very day, but Serena assured her that her hair looked as fresh and bouncy as if it had just been permed), exchanged embarrassing stories, and discussed various manga.

Though she did her best not to show it, Lita was shocked by how easily this minute blonde seemed to extract conversation from her. Never before had she talked, smiled, or laughed as much as she had in the past ten minutes with Serena – at least, not since her parents had died.

Serena, too, was slightly surprised by the ease with which she jumped from one topic to another with Lita. She had become accustomed to less-than-scintillating conversation with Ami and Rei, neither of whom shared many interests with her, aside from Rei's manga vice. They had managed to become friends despite this, but there was always that barrier between them: Ami with her pedantry, Rei with her snapping, Serena with her babble. They had always ended up with interesting conversation nonetheless, but it was nice to be able to talk about normal teenage girl things, instead of where a youma was likely to attack next.

Eventually, Serena and Lita discovered another mutual love – food.

"What about that Chinese place at the mall?" Serena took a bite of the fried shrimp Lita had offered her and shuddered with delight. "Have you been there?" Lita nodded vigorously, her cheeks puffed out with the zucchini bread she had just taken a large bite of. "Isn't their fried rice to _die_ for?"

"Oh, God, yeah," agreed Lita fervently, gulping down her mouthful. "Their steamed broccoli's always a little wilted, but their sesame chicken is good enough that I can forgive them."

"And have you seen the guy who works there on weeknights?" Serena giggled. "Brown eyes – "

"Black hair, and the longest eyelashes you've ever seen!" Lita finished. "Girl, I have not only seen him, I have _talked_ to him!"

"No WAY! What did he say?" Serena squealed.

"'Your total comes to nine-fifty.'"

Serena stared at her for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Lita!"

"And he said it so politely," continued Lita, starry-eyed, "that I couldn't help but give him a twenty and tell him to keep the change."

"But Lita!" Serena stopped rolling around on the grass and sat up. "With – " She counted off on her fingers. " – ten-fifty, you could have bought a manga!"

"I KNOW!" mourned Lita. "But he was so _hot_…"

"No boy," said Serena solemnly. "Is hotter than a manga. Okay, Lita? Repeat after me. _No guy alive is hotter than Hatori._ Got it? _No guy alive is hotter than – _Lita, you're not paying attention!"

"I'm sorry, Serena," said Lita dreamily. "But I think I found a guy who proves you wrong."

Serena followed the direction of Lita's gaze and saw The Trio heading towards them, Asanuma in the lead. "Ew, gross. Don't tell me you like Darien!"

"Is Darien the hunky blonde?"

"Since Darien is definitely not hunky, and definitely not blonde, I am going to answer no," declared Serena. "The blonde is Motoki, who makes the yummiest milkshakes ever in the whole entire world with the possible exception of Martha Stewart, who I have never met."

Lita flashed her grin. "You haven't tasted one of my milkshakes yet, either."

"Yum…"

"So the hot blonde is Motoki…who's that black-haired one? He looks familiar."

"Oh, he's Darien. Darien Shields." Serena waved a hand dismissively, returning to Lita's shrimp. "He's Azabu's resident Golden Boy. You've probably seen him in the paper for science fair or some other nerd accomplishment of his."

"Serena-chaaaaan!" Asanuma had bounced ahead of his two friends and jumped down on the grass beside Serena. He shot Lita a friendly grin. "We heard there's a new girl in your class! Is she hot?"

Darien, who had arrived with Motoki just in time to hear Numa's question, rolled his eyes and sprawled out in the grass on Serena's other side. "If she is, you've got no chance with her, Asanuma."

"Hey!" exclaimed Asanuma indignantly. "I'll have you know that teenage girls adore my roguish good looks and perverted sense of humor!"

"Hey, is this zucchini bread?" demanded Motoki suddenly. He had been examining Lita's lunch from all directions. "Who made this? Not you, Usa-chan, no offense, but I know you better than that – did you?" He directed this at Lita, who nodded slowly. "How'd you make this stuff? I've been trying to bake it for forever, but it always comes out burnt or mushy – "

"Oh, I know how to fix that!" Lita leaned forward. "Mine always used to be like that, too, but all you've got to do is add…"

Serena tuned out the conversation there. Not that food didn't interest her; it was just that she preferred _eating_ it to _cooking _it.

"You look rested." She looked down to see Darien squinting up at her.

"Must EVERYONE mention that?" she sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for falling asleep on you – "

"Hey, I'm not saying anything. Technically, I fell asleep on your head, too. So we're even."

"Hmm…" Serena looked around to make sure that no one was paying attention to them. Motoki and Lita were definitely too engrossed in the interior structure of Lita's zucchini bread; Motoki had a slice of it in one hand and was taking delicate bites of it, clearly concentrating on its taste as he chewed, and Asanuma was munching happily on some of Lita's shrimp.

So Serena deemed it safe to stretch out on her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows so that she could talk to Darien. She giggled, feeling very covert, like a secret agent on a mission.

Darien blinked up at her. "You're cheerful today. Did that new girl spike your drink or something? Because kids are saying – "

"Darien! Lita's not like Asanuma!"

"Thank God for that. So that's her name, huh? Lita?"

"Yeah. She's really nice. And her cooking is _so good_, Darien, you would not believe – " she blinked. "Wait. I was going to ask you something. What was it?"

"How I can be so good-looking and yet so smart at the same time?"

"Watch it, Shields. Your head's getting too big for those spindly little nerd legs of yours to carry."

"Look who's talking, Blonde Blimp." _More like Blonde Shrimp, she's so tiny._

"Ah ah ah." Serena held up a finger. "You said I wasn't fat, remember?"

"Aw, darn…hey, why are you guys sitting out here? It took us forever to track you down."

"Lita wanted to eat out here. I'm glad we did. It's so nice…why'd you guys come and sit with us, anyways?"

Darien shrugged. "Why not?"

Serena watched Motoki and Lita. "It looks like Toki's having fun, at least."

"Numa too." Darien tilted his head towards the now-snoring Asanuma. "Hey – have you seen Mizuno today?"

"No." Serena didn't look at him. "Why?"

"Just wondering." He paused. "Are you ever going to tell me what went on with the three of you?"

Serena brought her knees up to her chest. "It's complicated."

"I've got a big brain. I can handle it."

Serena shook her head, smiling. "Nope. Sorry, Darien. There are still some things that are too big for even you to wrap our mind around, I think." She reached out impulsively and ruffled his hair. Then her eyes suddenly brightened. "Hey, I remember what I was going to ask! Did Toki or Numa take any pictures of us on the bus?"

"Uh…I don't know…" He mused. "But knowing them, they probably did."

Serena wilted. "Darn."

Darien looked up. "Hey, Toki! Numa! Did you guys take any pictures yesterday?"

"Pictures of what?" asked Asanuma innocently.

Darien scowled. "You know what."

Motoki and Asanuma traded guilty looks. But they were saved from answering by Lita.

"Pictures? _That's_ where you two must be familiar from! You're the guy and girl in those photos from the cafeteria!" Lita elbowed Serena where she was lying next to Darien. "You didn't tell me this guy was your _boyfriend_!"

"He's not."

Lita eyed Serena's position next to Darien. "It looks like he is."

"Aren't you the new kid?" Darien asked abruptly.

Asanuma and Motoki's heads swung around. "YOU're the new girl?"

Serena hid a grin at how easily Darien had manipulated the subject of conversation.

"But – you – you – " Asanuma cried. "Well, I guess the eye – but – everyone's saying you're some femme fatale karate expert! Not a Martha Stewart clone!"

"You know, it's been a blast having lunch with you guys and all, but me and Lita still need to find her locker before the bell rings!" Serena grabbed Lita's hand and dragged her off towards the buildings. "Bye!"

"So…you and Motoki were getting pretty cozy back there, huh?" Serena waggled her eyebrows in a movement she had picked up from Asanuma.

"I was just showing him my zucchini bread!" protested Lita. Then she blinked. "Wait, that sounded a lot less suggestive in my head – "

"Lita's in LOOOOOOOVE!" trilled Serena, zooming down the halls to escape a madly blushing Lita.

* * *

Lita was just loading some of her books into her locker and arguing with Serena over who was better suited to Tohru, Kyo or Yuki, when a voice interrupted them.

"Miss Kino?"

Lita stiffened and turned. Serena peeked curiously over Lita's tense shoulder to see Mr. Hatsaru, the vice principal who was in charge of discipline looking at Lita.

"You need to procure a decent uniform to wear," said the administrator in a clipped voice. "I don't want to see you traipsing around our school in a Seijou High uniform tomorrow."

"I understand." Lita's voice was hard.

"Watch your tone, Miss Kino." Mr. Hatsaru's eyes narrowed. "Just because we accepted your transfer to our school doesn't mean that we're going to accept your disrespectful behavior. You'd better watch yourself, because I'll be keeping a close eye on you."

Mr. Hatsaru's eyes drifted down to Serena, who was still peeking timidly over Lita's shoulder. He opened his mouth as though about to reprimand her, but then the bell rang. He walked off as students began to pour into the hallway.

"Wow." Serena let out a breath she hadn't been aware she had been holding. "He's in a really bad mood."

Lita grunted noncommittally and began to walk away. Serena threw one last glance over her shoulder at Mr. Hatsaru's retreating back, then hurried after Lita.

"Lita, wait! Are you okay?"

"Just dandy," replied Lita. She rubbed her neck wearily. "Hey, Serena, are there any Coke machines around here?"

"Um – not really, they're all in the cafeteria…Toki's locker's around here somewhere, though." Serena glanced around, then caught sight of a familiar blonde head. "Hey, Toki!" She grabbed Lita's hand and tugged her over. "Do you have any drinks with you? Lita's thirsty."

"It looks to me like you need caffeine," said Motoki, taking one look at Lita's drawn face. "But Dr. Motoki can cure that! Voila!" He swung open his battered locker with a flourish. Inside was revealed not posters of rock bands or magazine cutouts of hot girls, but a bulletin board of recipes on index cards and a chest of ice, out of which peeked two dozen cans of soda. "Let's see…I've got Pepsi, Dr. Pepper – ha, Dr. Pepper from Dr. Motoki! – , Sprite, Grape, Orange, Mountain Dew – Dare usually drinks that, though, so if you want it don't tell him I gave it to you – Diet anything, Iced Tea, and Cherry 7Up." He turned to Lita. "What'll it be?"

Lita, however, wasn't looking at the soda. Her attention was glued to the recipes lining Motoki's locker door. "Mango-flavored salad dressing, pineapple crumble, puttanesca, éclair cake… Serena, I think I'm in love…"

"Lita'll have Pepsi," Serena told Motoki, grinning widely. "And can I have grape please, Toki-onii-san?"

"Of course!" Motoki dug out the selected drinks and handed them to a bouncing Serena and a dazed Lita. "Hey, are you lovely ladies going to be gracing the arcade with your presence today, Usa-chan?"

"I'm not sure," said Serena mysteriously, looking at Lita. "I might have other plans today. Anyway, thanks, Toki! Good luck on your history test!"

"Thanks!" Motoki turned back to his locker.

"Oh my god," sighed Lita dreamily. All of her energy seemed to have returned. "Does he really make all that food, Serena? Like, he actually bakes pineapple crumble?"

"Well, I've never actually tasted his pineapple crumble, but Numa's always begging Toki to make it, so I guess it's good." Serena made a face. "I personally like Toki's tiramisu way better…"

"He makes tiramisu, too!" yelped Lita.

"Does he EVER," said Serena enthusiastically. "It's really creamy and rich, and he doesn't skimp on the cream like a certain mother of mine – oh, but Lita, I meant to ask you! Do you have the uniform for school yet? Our school, I mean."

"No. I don't even know where they sell the stupid rags," she confessed, eyes darkening.

"Yay!" Serena clapped her hands together. "That means I can take you! The shop's at the mall, so we can go get your uniform, and then we can go to the food court and order Chinese from the hot guy!"

"Really?"

"Of course!" Serena's lashed lowered suddenly. "I mean – if you want to. I understand if you'd rather go by yourself – "

"Are you kidding?" Lita demanded. "The mall's no fun alone! I'd LOVE to go with you!"

"Then it's a date!" Serena quipped, laughing. _Now I know why Asanuma pretends to be gay – it's so fun!_ "I can go right after school. What about you?"

"My schedule is WIDE open," Lita began to answer, then she noticed that Serena's attention had been caught by something on the other side of the hallway. "What is it?" she asked, turning around. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary there, unless you counted some girl having blue hair – "Serena?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing." Serena shook her head violently. "What were you saying?"

* * *

"Would you stop moping around like such a crybaby, Ami?" snapped Rei. "Your precious Serena's gone over to the dark side, okay? Now get over it!"

"I just…" Ami scrubbed more tears from her face with an alcohol-soaked wipe. "It still manages to elude me how she could have joined them…she was the origin of that explosion at the museum…"

"This has been going on for far longer than we know." Luna's voice, low, entered the conversation. The two girls turned to watch the cat-shaped shadow leaping from the windowsill to the floor. "Perhaps even since before I gave her the Moon Brooch."

Rei snapped her fingers, summoning a flame, and touched it to the wipe in Ami's hand. It burst into flame, and Ami dropped it with a shriek.

"What do you mean, Luna?" the priestess asked.

Luna glared disapprovingly at Sailor Mars' alterego, absently nuzzling her head against Ami's arm to comfort her. Ami pushed the furry black head away, twitching, and began to brush cat hair from her sleeve. "Get it off, get it off, get it off," she muttered.

Luna now glared at Ami also. "Stop that! And pay attention. Rei, stay away from my whiskers with that match! This is important!" Luna leapt up on Rei's bed, red eyes glinting in the dancing firelight. "There's something about Sailor Moon that you don't know. Back in the Silver Millennium, when the Dark Kingdom arrived to massacre the Moon Kingdom, Sailor Moon betrayed the princess and the Senshi."

"That WITCH!" Rei leapt to her feet, yanking out her transformation wand. "I'll KILL her – MARS – "

"Rei! Stop!" Ami scrambled to her feet and grabbed Rei's arm. "STOP! We don't _know_ – "

"Rest assured, Ami, I _know_," cut in Luna fiercely, seeming to be incensed by Ami's words.

Ami turned to face the cat. "Then please give us some proof, Luna. I've had the feeling for some time that you've been holding things back from us. If you knew that Sailor Moon had betrayed us in the Silver Millennium, why did you make her a Senshi? And why did you wait until now to tell us?"

"You've talked to her." Luna stalked forward, voice quivering a bit. Her voice lifted. "You've TALKED to her, haven't you? What has she told you? WHAT DID SHE TELL YOU?"

"I – I haven't talked to anybody," stuttered Ami, eyes wide. Fear flooded her; this was the way Luna had spoken to Sailor Moon at the museum. "Only you – and Rei – "

"Stop that, you old rag," said Rei suddenly. Ami started a moment, thinking that the priestess was addressing her, but the girl's violet eyes were fixed on Luna. "Can't you see you're scaring her?"

"She SHOULD be scared," growled Luna. She still seemed slightly agitated, whiskers quivering. "Accusing me – _me_! – like that! As if I've been keeping things from the two of you! I've dedicated my _life_ to you Senshi! You Senshi, who are supposed to protect our princess – everything I've done, I've done for the princess. For her safety! And now you're accusing me like I'm some conspirator – "

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Luna!" Ami wrung her hands together. "I didn't mean it, it's just – I'm scared, and – "

"No, wait." Rei put a hand up to stop Ami. "C'mon, Luna, tell us. How do you know Sailor Moon betrayed us in the Silver Millennium? Me and Ami don't have any memories of it, and Serena _said_ she didn't, so how could you remember?"

"I – I – " It was Luna's turn to stutter. "It's – I only remember one thing. Just one. I had a – a friend – back then, and I remember _her_, that witch with her bright yellow hair that everyone loved, killing him – " Dark lines streaked Luna's fur as tears rolled down her face. "She killed him. She was supposed to guard the princess, and she betrayed her and him – "

A frowning Rei threw a glance over her shoulder at Ami. Ami gave her a helpless look and gathered the black cat up in her arms, murmuring soothingly. "It's okay, it's okay, Luna…"

"D'you want us to go get her?" Rei asked bluntly. "Right now?"

Ami shot Rei an alarmed look, but the priestess's eyes were trained on Luna, who lifted her head.

"_I _will be the one to take care of her," purred Luna dangerously. "On my own time and my own terms. You and Ami WILL keep away from her. Understand?"

The two girls blinked. "Yes, but – "

"I don't want either of you to get hurt." Luna's voice softened. "Do you see? Sailor Moon has a tremendous amount of power. She could sweep the floor with you both within seconds. So we stay away."

"What?" Rei burst out. "But she's a traitor, she has to be punished – "

"And she will be. But we have to wait."

"Wait for what, Luna?" Ami asked before Rei could demand it.

"For the others." Luna directed her molten eyes towards Rei's communicator, which sat near her feet, resting her gaze on the green and orange buttons that had suddenly appeared there. "We wait for your sisters to arrive."

* * *

"Do these come in a longer size?" Lita asked, holding up a pleated skirt. "This one's too short on me."

"All we've got is the petite and the regular, honey," replied the clerk, cracking her gum and twirling a strand of bleached-blonde hair around her finger. Lita knew it was bleached blonde because the roots were starting to show. "If you want it to be longer, you're gonna have to go up to a size thirteen."

"But then it's too big on me," grumbled Lita, glaring at the skirt she held.

"I don't see why you're so worried about it, sweetie," said the clerk, applying a fresh coat of cherry-red lipstick to her lips and smacking them. "If I had legs like yours, I'd want to show 'em off."

"And that's why I'm a sophomore in high school and she's working for four dollars an hour at a uniform shop," whispered Lita to Serena. She raised her voice. "Okay, fine, I'll take them. Is there anything else I need?"

The clerk glanced over Lita's purchases: skirts, summer shirts, winter blouses, and winter coat. "Some of the girls like to buy little thingamajigs to put on their bows. Y'know, to cover the knot." She pointed at Serena's chest, directly at her Moon brooch. "Like that one there. Though I gotta say, I've never seen one like that. Is that real gold?"

Serena's hand came up to cover her brooch protectively. "No. I don't think so. It's just something. From someone."

"A boyfriend, I'll bet." The clerk began to ring up Lita's clothing articles. "Lemme tell ya what, honey, if you really wanna please that boyfriend of yours, you oughta buy you some shorter skirts. Uh-huh." The woman nodded as Serena flushed and rubbed her sweaty hands uncomfortably on the blue material of her skirt. "Girls like y'all don't appreciate yourselves enough. Back when I was in high school, a girl had legs like that, she would show 'em off. Not cover 'em all up like you're doin'! Your total comes to one seventy-six ninety-two, hon."

Lita reached into her pocket and fished out a worn wallet embroidered with pink roses and green vines. She opened it up and pulled out two of the sheaf of bills secreted within. "Here."

The women's tongue snaked to the corner of her mouth as she held the hundred-dollar bills up to the light and squinted at them. "Wow. Your boyfriend treats ya good, don't he?"

"I don't need a man to give me money, lady." Serena watched as Lita ground the words out, her eyes narrowing.

The woman shrugged, putting the bills into the cash register. 'Yeah, but it sure makes things a whole lot easier, if you know what I mean."

Lita shrugged and picked up the large bag. "Ready to go, Serena?"

Serena nodded and followed Lita towards the door.

"Hey, wait a second," called the clerk.

Lita and Serena turned, the former with lips compressed and the latter with her head tilted expectantly.

"You should get out while you can, hon." The woman shook her head at Lita, pointing at her bruised eye. "Stuff like that – he's just gonna get worse. Don't stick around thinking he's gonna change. Okay?"

Lita's face suddenly softened. The grimace she had been wearing the whole time they were in the store was replaced by a sad smile. "Okay."

The woman's face broke into a smile of its own. She seemed brighter, suddenly. "Good. Good. You two have a good night, now, you hear?"

"We will," replied Lita, stepping out. "You enjoy yours, too."

Serena waited until they were three stores away from the uniform shop. Then she spoke, concern soaking her voice. "Lita, your eye – was it really – your boyfri – ?"

Lita looked down at Serena. "Nah. I haven't got a boyfriend."

"Then…what…" Serena fumbled about confusedly.

Lita patted Serena's head. "Don't worry about it, Serena. Let's go get some Chinese from the hot guy, huh?"

"Okay…" Serena allowed Lita to lead her towards the food court. She glanced back over her shoulder at the uniform shop one more time. That clerk… Then Lita's voice distracted her.

"Hey, aren't those your friends, Serena?"

Serena froze in sudden alarm. She couldn't allow Ami and Rei to see her, who knew what they might do –

"God, he's so hot," Lita sighed.

Serena blinked. Then followed Lita's gaze….to Darien, Asanuma, and Motoki. _Oh. She meant the guys._

The three juniors were standing next to the fountain, oblivious to Lita and Serena's presence. Asanuma was dangling something over the water; Motoki was trying to snatch it back; and Darien was dropping something down the back of Asanuma's shirt while the jokester was distracted by teasing Motoki.

At the very moment her eyes landed on them, Asanuma looked up. His eyes met hers, and he dropped whatever had been holding into Motoki's hand and jumped down from the fountain's edge. "Serena-chan! And Martha!"

"What are you guys all doing here?" Motoki asked as he and Darien came up behind Asanuma.

"Uniform shopping," answered Lita, holding up her bag. "What about you?"

"Oh, we just came to, ah, have some male bonding time," answered Darien, slapping Asanuma's back nonchalantly. Asanuma jumped, then turned around to regard Darien suspiciously.

"What did you do?" he demanded as he patted the back of his shirt. "I told you, Darien, the kick me sign trick went out of style years ago – hey." He frowned, beginning to scratch his back. "It itches. Why does it itch? DARIEN! WHY DOES IT ITCH?"

"Just a little present from Serena and I," Darien replied slyly. "Consider it part two of our revenge."

"I'm not…part of this…vengeance, am I?" Motoki gulped. "I mean, I gave you that itching powder from under my counter – "

"Motoki…you traitor…" Asanuma burst into dramatic tears.

Darien paid neither Motoki nor Asanuma any attention. His eyes were fixed on Serena, who had yet to crack a smile at their torture of Asanuma – which meant something was seriously wrong. Again.

"Hey, Odango." He passed a hand in front of her face.

Serena jolted, smiling automatically. "What? Huh? Oh, you used the powder on Numa? Great!"

"What's wrong?"

Serena blinked up at him.

"Don't blink at me. You know what I'm talking about. Spill."

Serena pulled a face at him, turning away. "It's nothing. Leave me alone. Hey, Lita, you ready to go get dinner?"

Lita's eyes flicked from Serena to Darien, then back again. "Sure. Let's go."

"We'll come with you," Darien decided. "C'mon, Asanuma."

"If you haven't NOTICED, I'm in considerable PAIN right now," sniffled Asanuma, arm twisted at uncomfortably awkward angle in order to scratch the small of his back. "I am SO going to get you guys for this…"

"It'll wear off in ten minutes or so," Darien assured him, checking his watch. "I'm not THAT cruel."

"Oh, please," interrupted Motoki. "You were going to give him the stuff that lasted for thirty minutes if Usa hadn't stopped you."

"Gee, thanks for BLABBING, tattle-tale…"

"I hate to break up the lovers' spat," said Asanuma, still jumping up and down like a monkey and scratching his back, "But in case you haven't noticed, the girls have already left."

Darien and Motoki looked up. Sure enough, the girls were gone.

Darien's eyes narrowed frustratedly. "Odango…"

* * *

"So here's the plan," whispered Serena to Lita. They were crouched behind a decorative palm tree across the food court from counter serving Chinese food, behind which stood the "Hot Chinese Food Guy," as they had dubbed him. "We order the food. We take the food. But we forget the forks. So we go back and ask him for forks. Then, after engaging in light but tantalizing conversation, we go back to the table, then realize that we also forget the duck sauce. Go back for duck sauce, engage in some minor flirting. Return to table, realize that we also want some soy sauce. Go back for soy sauce and – "

"Make a complete fools of yourselves?" finished a voice in Serena's ear.

Serena jumped a mile in the air. "SHIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEELDS!"

Darien, Motoki, and Asanuma rolled around on the floor in laughter, clutching their sides. Lita was similarly afflicted, busting a gut as she leaned on the palm tree for support. Patrons around the apparently psychotic group of teens scowled and whispered, then sidled away. Hot Chinese Food Guy noticed the disturbance and began to laugh, nudging a co-worker and pointing over at the blonde and her friends.

"Darien! How COULD you?" wailed Serena. "He SAW us! Now we're completely and totally HUMILIATED!" Tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"Oh, come on, it wasn't that big a deal, Odango," protested Darien. "He's not hot enough to CRY over."

"I'm not CRYING over HIM," sniffled Serena. "I'm crying because now I'll never be able to show my face to buy fried rice ever again…" She broke into fresh sobs.

"Well, Darien, I guess you've learned your lesson for the day," said Asanuma, patting his friend's shoulder. "Never get between a girl and her fried rice."

Darien gave Asanuma the evil eye. "There's more itching powder where that came from, you know." He looked at Serena and sighed. "Here, look, how about this, Odango. You and Kino-san go sit down, and we'll go get your fried rice, okay?"

Serena looked at Lita. "Is that okay with you, Lita?" she asked pitifully.

"Sure." Lita stuck her hands in her pockets and watched the boys walk away.

"Are you faking, Serena?"

Serena looked up, aghast. "How'd you know?"

Lita grinned. "Just a hunch. Why'd you do it? Are you mad at that Shields guy or something?"

"Yes." Serena began to stalk towards an empty table.

"Why?"

"Because I can't keep anything from him!" cried Serena, throwing herself into a chair. "He always KNOWS! When something's wrong, when I'm lying – he can always TELL. And then he makes me tell him whatever it is, so I get NO privacy – " Serena sniffed. "AND he humiliated me in front of Hot Chinese Food Guy, so I don't feel guilty at all for making him go buy my fried rice." She pounded a fist on the tabletop and repeated it again, as though to convince herself. "I_ don't _feel guilty."

"Hmm." Lita hid a smile. This Serena girl really was a piece of work.

A few minutes later, the boys arrived at the table, bearing cartons of steaming food. And the food wasn't the only thing that was steaming.

"Whoah, what's eating him?" asked Lita as Darien, gnashing his teeth, sat down.

Asanuma spared a moment to stop scratching and explain. "Aw, the usual. That guy at the counter asked Darien if Serena was his girlfriend."

"And?" prompted Lita.

Asanuma shot a glance at Darien. "And…when Darien said no….he asked Darien out on a date."

All sounds at the table stopped. Then fried rice sprayed everywhere – courtesy of Serena, of course. Laughter exploded from the tiny blonde, tipping her chair backward so that she lay, rolling in laughter, on the floor. Lita, who didn't know Darien as well as the rest of them, merely snickered and returned to eating, while Motoki and Asanuma joined Serena in her hysterics.

"SHUT UP, WILL YOU?" roared Darien, face turning even redder. "People are staring! The Chinese food guy is staring!"

"At what?" chortled Serena. "Your butt?"

"HIGH FIVE!" gasped Asanuma, tears rolling down his cheeks. "That was AWESOME, Serena-chan!"

"I know, I know. I'm good." Serena waved a hand modestly. "No need to tell me."

Darien grumbled something under his breath. Serena grinned and dug into her food. The rest followed suit, still chortling.

"Ugh," Serena said a few minutes later, grimacing down at her steamed broccoli. "Gross."

"Wanna trade?"

Serena glanced at Darien, then at the plate of bourbon chicken he was holding out. "What did you do to it?"

Darien laughed and switched plates with her. Serena shrugged happily and set to work on the chicken. Darien brought a forkful of broccoli to his mouth, watching Lita. She was the girl who had been in the alley on Tuesday night, he was sure of it. The height, the brown hair, and the black eye were too much of a coincidence.

He wondered why she had transferred from Seijou to Azabu. Had it been because of what happened that night?

An elbow jammed into his side suddenly. He choked and looked down to see Serena grinning devilishly up at him. "Darien, don't you know it's rude to stare?"

Darien speared another piece of broccoli. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"They'd make a super-cute couple, you know." Serena propped her chin on her hand and fastened her eyes thoughtfully on the animatedly-arguing teenagers.

"Who's staring now?" said Darien.

She shot him an annoyed look. "It's in the interest of true love."

"And what do you know about true love, 'dango?"

"First you're too mean to call me by my real name, and now you're too lazy to call me by your derogatory nickname for me. Nice."

"Methinks you're evading my question."

"She's way better for him than Reika is."

Darien blinked. "Stop changing the subject."

"Reika barely pays any attention to him. They don't have ANY of the same interests. But Toki and Lita could talk for FOREVER about food. And when they get married, they can own the arcade together, and then when they're old, they can make each other delicious prune pudding – "

"Hang on. Rewind. Who says they even like each other?"

"Isn't it OBVIOUS?" Serena flung her arms out wide. "Toki keeps laughing, and Lita keeps making ridiculous faces, AND they're both the best chefs in the WORLD. It HAS to be love!"

"One problem." Darien leaned his chair back on two legs. "Toki's going to prom with Reika."

Serena's eyebrows furrowed. "Prom? That's already?"

"Yup."

"Oh. Imagine that."

An awkward silence reigned for a moment. Each remembered quite vividly the events of last years' Spring Fling prom. TOO vividly, in fact.

Darien cleared his throat, breaking the awkward lull. "Toki's already bought tickets. Reika's agreed to go with him. I'm not going to break up a perfectly convivial relationship just because you decided to be Cupid."

"Darieeeeeeen…"

"No way. I won't do it."

"Pleeeeease…."

"I said no. Now stop making that face!"

"But…Darien…"

"But…Odango…" he mimicked.

She scowled. "Darien – "

Darien grinned at her. "'dango – "

"Hmph!" Serena kicked his shin. "Jerk!"

"Ow!" Darien bent to rub his wounded leg. He felt the abraded skin tingle and flush with warmth, then the pain was gone.

"Hey…" he looked up to see Serena frowning. "What was that – "

Oops. She must have seen some golden sparks or something. Damn.

"Nothing," he said quickly, gathering up everybody's empty plates. "Shall we go, Toki?"

Motoki looked up. "Huh?"

Darien rolled his eyes. "I said, shall we _go_?"

"Oh. But I was talking to Lita about pilaf – " At Darien's smirk, Motoki shot to h feet. "You're right, we need to get going. I've still gotta find a tux!"

"A tux?" Lita shot Serena a glance. "For what?"

"For prooooooom," sang Asanuma. "Which Motoki is going to with meeeeeee!"

"Shut up!" Red-faced, Motoki shoved Asanuma into a trashcan. Asanuma blinked and waved at a passing-by girl (she just happened to be clad in a fetching pink miniskirt). "I'm not going with you, Numa!"

"Fine!" Asanuma jumped lithely out of the trashcan and hooked an arm through Darien's. Then Dare-Bear will go with me, right?"

"No way." Darien sidled away from Asanuma and hid behind Serena. "Motoki, can we GO now? It's getting late, and you dragged us out here on a _school _night…"

Serena poked Darien. 'Stop trying to make Toki feel guilty. I can think of a certain someone who made his friends waste their Saturday following around an innocent tenth-grader."

"I'm telling you, that was Asanuma's idea," insisted Darien. "Why doesn't anyone believe me?"

"Because we all know you're MADLY in love with Serena-chan," sang Asanuma. "And you want to take her to the Spring Fliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!"

"Spring Fling?" Lita perked up. "What's that? A dance?"

"It's what they call our prom." Asanuma brandished a plastic fork as he began to lecture. "And let me tell you, it's always tons of fun. I remember last year when Serena and Darien – "

"SHUT UP!" Serena and Darien launched themselves at Asanuma and slapping their hands over his mouth.

"Mmrffghrh!" Asanuma wriggled out from under their arms, cringing under their combined glares. "Man, they're scary. Anyways, as I was saying – " He cleared his throat and snuck a glance at Serena and Darien. " – WHY Motoki dragged us along to help him go tuxedo-shopping is beyond me. I mean, do I LOOK like one of those dudes of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy?"

Silence reigned.

Asanuma seemed not to notice , continuing on blithely. "Really, Toki shouldn't want a hunky guy like myself accompanying him tuxedo-shopping. Because _I_ look so good in a tux that it's really impossible for anyone to compare, and he'll just end up getting discouraged."

"Uh, waiter," said Darien loudly. "Could we have our _reality check_, please?"

Serena shoved a fist in her mouth to smother the laughter that threatened to spill out. She failed miserably as Asanuma jumped up and tried to exact revenge on Darien by sitting on him. Then she noticed Lita's expression.

"Lita? Is something wrong?"

"Huh? No, I'm fine. I was just – uh – hey, Motoki-san, who are you going to the prom with, then?"

"He's going with his _girlfriend_." Asanuma made a face. He had given up trying to sit on Darien and was now scribbling on a napkin. He lifted the square of white paper, nodding in satisfaction, removed a piece of chewed-up gum from his mouth, and smushed the pink blob onto the back of the napkin. Then he turned, and with a flourish, slapped the napkin onto Darien's chest.

Everyone first grimaced – ew, Numa-spit – then burst into laughter. Except Serena and Darien, both of whom scowled horribly. Because what Asanuma had written on the napkin that was now fixed to Darien's chest was, "Reserved for Serena-chan."

"Well, it looks as though Dare-Bear's taken, too," sighed Asanuma. He held out his arm chivalrously to Lita. "How about you? Don't let me down, darling, I've already bought tickets – "

"But!" Motoki stopped laughing to splutter. Serena shot Darien a triumphant grin.

Lita fingered one of her rose-shaped earrings. "I – uh – that is to say – "

She was interrupted by a strange feeling tingling down her spine. Almost as if…someone… She turned, just in time to see Darien and Serena simultaneously spin around and stare at the opposite end of the mall, beyond the food court. Seconds later, screams sliced through the air. The two broke into a run, Serena diving under a table and Darien vaulting a stroller.

"What do you think you're doing?" panted Darien to Serena.

"Seeing if someone needs help, what do you think?" shouted Serena back. But it was all show; she knew she had to get away from him so that she could transform. What was with Darien and being around her when the Dark Kingdom showed up?

Serena quickly faked a klutz attack by running face-first into a cell phone kiosk – not exactly subtle or dignified, but it would have to do – then ducked into a Gap store and dove into an empty changing stall.

* * *

"So there's the youma…now where are the Senshi?" Tuxedo Mask crouched atop one of the jewelry cases in the department store. A home appliance section and a men clothing's display away was the youma, orange-skinned and buxom. Bodies lay piled around it likes fortress walls, but the chests of all of them still rose steadily up and down. This youma appeared to be one of the ones Tuxedo Mask was accustomed to fighting, the ones that merely sucked energy.

"Ha…_merely_." Tuxedo Mask laughed sardonically at himself, still watching the youma from behind his mask. At this point in time, he was more worried about the Sailor Senshi (or that devil-cat) showing up and tearing into Sailor Moon than he was about the youma doing anyone any particular harm. Besides, the way his track record had been going – he smirked in satisfaction – a single swipe of his cane would take the youma out.

A flash of white attracted his attention. A voice rang out.

"Hey! Department stores are for girls and guys looking to deck themselves out in finery for their proms, not for Hooters' rejects like you! I am the Champion of Love and Justice, Sailor Moon, and in the name of the Moon and girls who don't have chests as big as yours, I will punish you!" She hurled her tiara at the youma, who jumped backwards to evade it and ended up falling into a display of glassware.

Tuxedo Mask landed soundlessly beside Sailor Moon. At least, he had thought his landing had been soundless, but Sailor Moon turned around and flashed him a bright smile.

He returned it. "It's been a while since I've heard one of your inspiring orations."

"I know." She caught her tiara deftly and shoved it back on her forehead. "It feels good."

"That's good!" screeched the youma's voice. "Because this is gonna feel real BAD!" The creature sailed into view and began to hurl white objects toward the two superheroes.

Tuxedo Mask scooped Sailor Moon up. Her hands automatically clenched around his vest beneath his jacket; it was a routine procedure.

By twisting in Tuxedo Mask's hold, Sailor Moon was able to identify the white objects – they were various body parts of mannequins. There was a head, and there was an arm – and here was a whole leg, high heel and all, better stay out of the way of_ that_. She removed her tiara and threw it at the leg. The projectile exploded in a spray of tephra-like bits, and Sailor Moon's tiara returned to its owner's hand.

Sailor Moon turned to ask Tuxedo Mask if he had a plan, but as she repositioned her arms around his neck, she spotted over his shoulder another body part headed straight for them – this one was a man's torso, with washboard abs that were definitely going to put them through the dryer. Unless – she scrabbled for her tiara. But there was no way for her to get to it in time.

The torso smashed into them like a tank. They were sent crashing into a display of men's cologne, plowing through the tower of bottles that had been stacked artistically on the table.

"Elastic collision," groaned Tuxedo Mask, twisting beneath Sailor Moon. The dazed superhero lifted her aching head and tried to focus on him.

"Elastic…what?"

He smiled woozily up at her. "That was an elastic collision. Haven't you taken Physics?"

"Ugh." In too much pain to even attempt deciphering that statement, Sailor Moon pushed herself off of him. She immediately tumbled back down again, only this time there was cold tile beneath her instead of Tuxedo Mask's warm body.

He fuku was wet, she realized headily. _Man, I hope that's not blood…_ She forced herself up on one elbow to peer down at herself. Not a speck of red – aside from her bow – was to be seen on her, which was good, but what was that wetness?

"Weird…smell…" she heard Tuxedo Mask say. She lifted her head further and saw the shattered bottles of cologne. _That's what smells. Men's cologne soaked my fuku. Great!_

"Get up, Sailor Brat." The youma was floating above her. "Or should I call you Se – "

_Schwip_. A silver blade shafted through the youma's throat like a skewer through a shish kabob. The youma's eyes darkened, then it disintegrated.

Sailor Moon watched the dust fall, too achy to move. Not to mention that she thought the cologne perfumes might be making her slightly high…she giggled. "Wow, you don't even need me anymore."

Tuxedo Mask twisted his head toward her, retracting the cane's blade.. "Aw, but who would make the corny speeches if you were gone?"

"You're pretty good at them yourself, believe me."

"Ouch."

"What is it? Are you hurt?" Sailor Moon rolled to her feet immediately, checking him for injuries.

The dark-haired enigma grinned up at her. "I'm fine. I was just expressing how wounded I was by your acerbic wit."

Sailor Moon snorted. "Suuure. Hey, you know you're lying in a pool of that cologne stuff, right?"

Tuxedo Mask yawned. "I'm trying to soak up as much manliness as I can."

She eyed him. "What makes you think you need it?"

_I don't know, maybe the fact that you still don't seem to have any interest in kissing me?_ Tuxedo Mask shifted. "The lack of girls lining up at my door to ask me out on a date."

"Would you like some cheese with that wine?" she slugged him lightly in the arm. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Life is good!"

"Is that so?"

She squirmed a little under his gaze. "Of course it is!" She jumped up. "Well, I've gotta go. Bye!"

"That girl…" growled Tuxedo Mask. "ARGH! I forgot to ask her AGAIN!"

* * *

"Two shampooings, and I still smell like THIS?" Serena glared balefully at her reflection in the mirror as she sniffed her arm. The cologne seemed to have soaked straight through her skin – her _bones_ probably even smelled like this stuff!

She had met up with Lita after detransforming. She and the boys had split up to look for Serena and Darien – which was lucky, since Serena definitely had not been in the mood to face the boys and the teasing they would be sure to do if they caught a whiff of her new odor. It was lucky, also, that her parents weren't home. She could just see her father's face when he smelled men's cologne on her…

"I am so dead." She flopped on her bed and flicked off the light.

* * *

"God, this stuff REEKS." Darien yanked on a new shirt over his freshly-showered body. The stench of _l'eau d'homme_ had not only endured his detransformation, but also an hour-long shower, much to his surprise and dismay. _I don't want to go to school tomorrow smelling like this!_

As he popped a couple of aspirin (the cloying stink was seriously giving him a migraine), he wondered if Sailor Moon was having the same problem as him. It would be kind of funny if she was. A girl getting herself soaked in men's cologne… _Seems like something Serena would do._ He chuckled, then crawled under the covers, a smile still on his face.

* * *

A/N: Hum-de-dum. Not much this chapter. NEXT chapter is when the story really picks up – oh, yes, oh yes, I'm VERY excited. As soon as I get finished editing this chapter, I'm going to start working on it. Hopefully it'll have some revplies. As for now, please just let me thank all of you SO MUCH for all your encouraging words…XOXOXOXOXO!

By the way, I know I'm being greedy, but could you guys tell em what you think about Lita? I'm still kind of shaky with her personality.


	21. It All Clicks Together

**A/N**: I guess I lied. I _am_ posting a new chapter this week. I am conceding defeat with this chapter; it has beaten me black and blue. But ignore my drama queen antics. Perhaps the cause for my frustration with this chapter was that fact that my sister and I watched a bunch of Sailor Stars episodes over the weekend, and I got really angry because 1.) not only does Seiya get quadruple the screen time Darien EVER got, but 2.) he also gets way better lines, and 3.) a way better voice! As I watched it, I was actually thinking, Hey, you know, Seiya and Usagi act just like Sere and Dare in STC – ARGHHH! Do you know how WRONG that is? I felt like such a traitor…(sobs)

**Disclaimer**: Good morning, world! (EightofSwords jumps out of bed and heads to the kitchen, where she scarfs four Twinkies and opens the newspaper) Hmm…where are the Classifieds…here they are! Hmm…Hmmm… (scanning columns and frowning) hmm…. Darn it! Sailor Moon's still not for sale! Ooh, but look, here's a diamond toilet seat! (picks up phone and starts dialing) Yes, I'm calling about the toilet seat? What? It's already sold? Crap!

* * *

Subject to Change

Chapter Twenty-One: It All "Clicks" Together

* * *

"Mercury." Luna leapt down from the bed Ami had made for her on the top of her dresser. The black cat landed on a pile of the young erudite's biology notes, sending them flying to the floor.

"Leave them," Luna commanded sharply as Ami let out a sigh and leaned down to pick the papers up. "There's more important things to consider right now."

"Y- yes, Luna," stammered Ami, sitting straight up in her seat. "I apologize."

Luna inclined her whiskered head, accepting her ward's apology. "I've just returned from the mall."

"The mall?" Ami's forehead creased. Where she sat at her desk, the harsh light of her study lamp gouged deep shadows into the confused furrows.

"Yes, _the mall_." Luna paced impatiently across Ami's desk. Ami flinched back as the cat's restless tail whipped within two centimeters of her nose. "I was following the _traitor_ and her new little friend. Waiting to see her communicate with the Dark Kingdom."

"Did she?"

"No, not this time." Luna hissed for a moment, eyes boring into space. Then she calmed herself. "But I discovered something equally important. That new girl, the tall one – "

"You mean the new student?"

"Yes, her – she has an aura, Mercury."

Ami gasped. "You mean she hails from the Dark Kingdom?"

"Possibly." Luna's pacing sped up. "Or – she could be something else. But she has an aura, and either way, that means we need to learn more about her. I want you to talk to her at school tomorrow. Strike up a conversation, have lunch together. I want her history, Mercury. In fact, if you can scan her with your comp – "

"But!" Ami gasped out.

Luna stopped pacing to shoot her an expectant look. "_What_? It's not a difficult task, Mercury, it won't take away from your _precious_ study time – "

Ami flushed, self-consciously pushing her reading glasses up on her nose. "It's just…Luna, this new girl…the rumor in circulation at school is that she was kicked out of her last school because she got into so many fights. She has a black eye, which supports that supposition, and in my already tenuous social position, I can scarcely afford to risk offending a bully such as her with nosy questions – " Ami broke off as Luna thrust her furry face into Ami's own.

"You," hissed the cat lowly, "are Sailor Mercury, member of the Imperial Senshi. This girl could be a threat to your princess. Your welfare does not matter. Do you understand _that_, Little Miss Cram School?"

Ami quivered. "Yes. Yes, Luna, I do, I'm very sorry… "

* * *

Predictably, Serena woke up late Friday morning. In her preoccupation last night she had forgotten to set her alarm clock – as usual – and her mother wasn't home to shout her out of bed. Consequently, Serena woke up fifteen minutes before the tardy bell rung. Which meant that she had no time to eat breakfast. And which also meant that she had not time to grab something for lunch. And which ALSO meant that she had no time to take a shower. Which meant that she still smelled like a man. A very nice-smelling man, but a man nonetheless.

_But that's okay,_ Serena told herself. Life was still good. After all, she was alive, she had a house and food – very important – she was passing geometry – although that might change very soon – and she had made a new friend yesterday, not to mention that she had Motoki, Asanuma, and Darien, _and_ Tuxedo Mask had been very nice and saved her again yesterday – and so far, the Dark Kingdom hadn't attacked her or any of her friends or family despite knowing who she was –

Really, what did she have to complain about?

The sun shone so brightly that morning that Serena began to sweat immediately. As she zoomed down the sidewalk, she wondered half-heartedly if she'd rather smell like sweat or like men's cologne. She decided that the latter was better. That wish, at least, came true, for she could still smell the musk thick in the air around her as she hurtled through the school gates with a minute and fifty-two seconds to spare. _Man, I could have taken the time to grab a Twinkie…_ Her stomach growled angrily.

"Hungh…" she stooped over in the doorway of her first period class, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Her eyes flicked around curiously from beneath her golden bangs, and widened when they landed on a shock of blue hair in the corner of the room.

Only one person in all of Azabu High School had blue hair. That person was Ami Mizuno, i.e., Sailor Mercury. And it absolutely, positively could NOT be good news that she was bent in front of Lita's desk, talking rapidly in a hushed voice to the willowy brunette.

Still in slight shock, Serena shuffled back out of the classroom into the hallway. _I can't lose Lita… Not like I lost Ami and Rei! Please Ami, don't make Lita hate me. Don't make her hate me… _

Serena took a deep breath, forcing her breathing to calm. There was nothing she could do now about Ami and Rei believing that she had betrayed them. She could, however, still keep Lita from believing that – at least, she could try.

She squeezed her eyes shut and started back into the classroom. Only to fall heavily onto the linoleum floor after a bone-jarring collision with another body.

Serena forced her eyes open and blinked the stars from her vision. A pair of dark blue eyes – _Ami _– wide with fright, stared back at her. Then Ami scrambled to her feet and fled the classroom.

_She was afraid of me_, Serena realized with shock. _These past couple of days, I've been tiptoeing around like a mouse because I thought they would hurt me – and Ami's been doing the same thing. Oh, Ami… I wish I could tell you the truth. I wish you would believe me._

A hand clasped Serena's wrist. Serena blinked timidly up at her brown-haired friend, flinching slightly.

"Up you go," grunted Lita, hauling the blonde to her feet. "That little idiot. Didn't even stop to say sorry."

"Ami…an idiot?" Serena's eyes widened hopefully. She felt slight guilt for thinking such a thing, but if Lita was calling Ami an idiot, that must be good…right? It meant she didn't buy whatever Ami had told her – right?

"Yeah, an idiot." Lita plopped back down in her desk, chewing absently on a straw. "I can think of a couple better things to call her, but I'll restrain myself." She smiled wryly, then shot Serena a glance, green eyes searching. "So you know that chick?"

"Ami? Yeah. I guess you could say that." Serena wiped her sweat-beaded forehead with an arm. "She used to be one of my best friends."

"Did she, now." Lita continued to chew thoughtfully on her straw. "She seemed pretty interested in what you've been up to lately. She kept asking me questions about you."

"Like what?" asked Serena warily, laying her cheek on the cool, hard surface of her desk and staring at Lita.

Lita shrugged. "Stuff. Like how long I'd known you, and stuff. I didn't really pay attention to much of it, to tell you the truth." Lita made a face, pointing at her black eye. "She kept staring at this sucker."

Serena smiled faintly. "You probably scared her."

Lita smirked, baring her teeth like a wolf. "Good." She paused a moment, eyes drifting back into focus to center on Serena. "Once she finished grilling me, she started telling me all this crap about you."

Serena stiffened.

"She was telling me how you acted like you were her best friend in the world and then you turned your back on her. Like, you abandoned her for some guy? And then started hanging out with her enemies!"

Serena's stomach writhed. She hoped it didn't show in her face.

"And get this!" Lita continued, letting out a bark of laughter. "She says you've been hanging out in a gang that beat her up!"

Serena smiled sadly to herself. _Poor Ami. You never were good at making up lies. Unlike me._

"And…do you believe her?" Serena's voice rustled out softly, like a leaf in an autumn breeze. She stared at Lita, blue eyes pained.

Lita made the most wonderful sound Serena had ever heard in her life. She let out a snort. A beautifully contemptuous, disbelieving snort.

"Are you kidding me?" Lita grinned amusedly. "Like I'm gonna swallow that sort of crap. Even if I hadn't been able to tell she was lying – and that girl can't lie worth a damn from what I saw – I wouldn't've believed her. You wouldn't stab someone in the back like that."

Lita snorted again. "And come on – _you_? In a gang? I'd have to be high to believe that." She paused abruptly and sniffed the air, frowning. "Man, what is that _stink_?"

* * *

Words could not describe how elated Serena felt as she floated into the P.E. locker rooms. She had tripped over a crack in the sidewalk and gotten gum on her school shirt (now she had a shirt to match Darien's), and seventeen people (and a lot more if you counted the people who sniffed the air but were too polite to say anything) had commented on how _manly_ she smelled that morning, but nothing could dampen her spirits now. Lita believed in her. Lita _believed _in her! She trusted Serena – she had deemed Serena _worthy _enough to place her trust in.

She stripped off her school fuku with much enthusiasm, then shimmied into her skort and shirt. She was actually looking forward to PE today. Hey, why not? She had the class with Darien and Asanuma, who could always make her laugh, and it was a beautiful day outside!

She skipped outside, humming happily. She tripped over a tuft of grass poking up out of the sidewalk, but there was no harm done. She bounced back up to her feet.

"Hey, Tsukino!" She turned to face the owner of the voice; it was Toriyama-san, a senior. He grinned at her. "I left my Old Spice at home, can I borrow some of your cologne after class?"

"Ha ha," replied Serena dryly. She couldn't help the smile that curved her lisp, though – it really _was_ funny. Only a klutz like herself would ever have gotten herself soaked in what so far seemed to be permanent cologne. It NEVER would have happened to someone as careful as Ami or as graceful as Rei. "You'll have to follow me into the girls' locker room for it."

"You've got yourself a date." Toriyama winked good-naturedly, then turned to someone shuffling out of the guys' changing room. "Hey, how 'bout you, Shields? You gonna give me some of that cologne you drowned yourself in?" He sniffed suddenly. "Hey, yours smells exactly like Serena's – _dude_." He lifted his eyebrows suggestively. "What have _you two_ been up to?"

Serena's head snapped around. Her eyes met Darien's, which were staring at her with something akin to horror in their dark depths.

Her knees trembled. _That means…that means…_ She was overcome by a strange sense of detachment as she watched him trip towards her. It was as though she was watching the scene unfold from very far away.

Darien stopped when he was only a few centimeters away from her. The cloying odor of cologne intensified, knotting her stomach. Uncertainty sat upon his creased forehead, and she tilted her head back to stare up at him in growing alarm. In spite of herself, she found Luna's words floating into her mind – _he's someone who wields some sort of power that we don't know anything about. If he has the power to destroy a youma on his own, then he has more than enough power to take on one of you…_

Darien's hand met her chin. The feeling of detachment vanished as she was yanked back down into her own body and found herself staring up into his dark, dark eyes…

He pulled her head forward slightly. She froze, heart racing. Now her face was practically smushed into his neck, and she was looking at the lapel of his blue school blazer. She wondered bewilderedly what he was doing – then she heard the unmistakable sound of a deep inhalation – he was sniffing her hair!

"Sailor Moon?" she heard him breathe – right into her ear. She shivered first – his voice was just like Tuxedo Mask's, breathy and tenor – then remembered that that was because Darien _was_ Tuxedo Mask.

She let out a wail. Darien jumped away from her. His face was flushed, as though he had just realized what sort of position they had been in, and WHO he had been in that position with.

"THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!" Darien yelled and Serena wailed at the same time.

Their classmates' heads turned around in interest to focus avidly on Serena and Darien. Class was always such a soap opera when those two were together.

"You…" Serena's mouth wouldn't work properly. Heat was creeping up her neck, her cheeks, her entire face. Oh God, she had been _in love_ with this guy….she had been _held _by him – he had seen her in a skirt that revealed almost as much as her underwear! Oh, the humiliation!

Darien wasn't in all too great a condition himself. Good God, all this time, he had been flirting shamelessly with – with – with _Odango_! She had seen him skipping around in a tuxedo and a top hat like a pansy – she was going to milk this for all it was worth! He'd never be able to show his face again!

A thunderous frown crossed his face when his eyes – still sweeping across her in disbelief, meticulously cataloguing every detail of her features and wondering _how in the hell_ he hadn't _noticed_ – found a collection of scrapes on her knees. Maybe they were from last night's battle, an maybe they weren't, but they served as a reminder to him of all the times Sailor Moon had gotten injured or nearly killed – and now he knew that all those times, that had been _Serena_ who was nearly choked to death, or who almost got flattened, who had bled and cried and flinched and killed –

"_Serena_," he hissed, stalking towards her.

"BREAK IT UP! BREAK IT UP!" Coach Etoukou bumbled his way out of the boys' locker room, brandishing his clipboard and blowing his whistle shrilly. He pushed his sunglasses up on his glistening head to search for the perpetrators of the fight he had heard, then saw Serena and Darien.

"Oh." The coach put down his whistle and shoved his shades back down. "Never mind. It's just the lovebirds again. OKAY, everyone LINE UP! We're doing discus today, and you better bet that I'm gonna be on the lookout for any of you to do well – "

he looked pointedly at Serena, "So that I can snag a coaching job in the 2008 Olympics – "

Serena paid no attention to the coach. All her concentration was devoted to avoiding Darien, who was stalking after her. To others, it resembled a rather bizarre dance – Darien took a step forward, Serena took a step back, Darien went forward, Serena went back, Darien feinted left, Serena darted right, Darien dove towards her, Serena squeaked and dove behind someone else – unfortunately, Asanuma, who grinned devilishly and stepped out of Darien's way. Then the dance began all over again, forward, back, forward, back…

"SHIEEEEEELDS!" Darien's head whipped around along with Serena's to look guiltily at Coach, who shook his clipboard at them. "I know that on Monday I said I was glad to see you two back to fighting as usual, but just because I support your relationship DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU CAN SLACK OFF IN MY CLASS!"

Coach harrumphed and turned back to face the rest of the students. "Like I was saying – today we're doing discus. This means everyone's going to need to find a partner – "

"Odango and I!"

Coach turned his head very slowly and deliberately to look at Darien, who had finally latched on to Serena. Serena was very pale-faced, and Darien was glaring fiercely at the various boys who were staring mournfully in Serena's direction.

"Good! Good for you, boy!" Coach slapped Darien on the back. "Finally taking some initiative! I'll make a quarterback out of you yet! Go out there, get in the game!" He pushed a discus into Darien's hands and shoved him out into the field.

"But – " Serena blurted out, throwing panicked glances every which way. Her eyes landed on Asanuma, and she looked at him pleadingly. "Asanuma – "

"Come ON, Tsukino," gritted out Darien in a fakely sweet voice, smiling forcedly for Coach's benefit. He yanked her along down the track. "Let's go have some FUN."

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH," said the class.

"Click," said Asanuma's camera.

By the time Darien let go of Serena, they were in the very, very far corner of the P.E. field. Serena dropped down in the grass, shoulders heaving, and Darien bent over, hands propped on his knee, chest heaving.

Eventually, they regained their breath. Serena lifted her head to squint up at Darien and Darien shielded his eyes to look down at her. Time ticked past as they stared at each other. Then Serena lurched to her feet and stomped a couple dozen meters away from him.

"What are you waiting for?" she shouted. "Throw the darn discus already!"

"Fine!" Darien picked up the discus from where he'd dropped it on the ground. "I'll bet you're pretty good with a discus, aren't you? After all, you throw tiaras _every night_!" He hurled the heavy disc at her and was quite incensed to see her catch it effortlessly in her fingertips.

"_So_? You throw _flowers_ every night!" Serena flung the discus back. It spun so swiftly through the air that Darien ducked instead of catching it. He flushed angrily as Serena laughed, bending over and clutching her sides.

"I can't believe you didn't _tell_ me!" The discus sailed back through the air, _thung_ing dully into Serena's hip.

The blonde looked down, hand blurring as she caught the discus before it fell to the grass. She wasn't laughing anymore.

"Why would I tell _you_?" The leaden disc slammed right into Darien's gut. All the air left his lungs in a whoosh, and not just because of the discus, either.

He staggered back and stammered for a moment. "Because – because – "

"Because what?" Serena crossed her arms belligerently. Again, Darien was struck by how similar she looked to Sailor Moon. How could he not have _noticed_? "Because I _liked_ you? Because I _flirted_ with you?"

"You – you – _what_?" Darien's hand raked through his hair several times. His eyes were wide. _This heat must be making me hallucinate. I'm_ sure _she didn't just say that._

Serena sighed, kneading her forehead. "Nothing. Just forget it." She held out a hand. "Can we go back to throwing the discus, please?"

"Fine." With no little amount of annoyance, Darien picked up the discus and threw it to her. Tell him to _forget_, would she? As if he hadn't forgotten enough already in his life! Oh, he wasn't about to let this go, not by a long shot. "While I'm at it, do you want me to forget that you're Sailor Moon, too?"

"It would be nice!"

"Ah!" He hissed as the force of her hurled discus bent his fingers back in their sockets. He threw it back. "Why are you doing this, Serena?"

"Why _not_?"

"I don't know, maybe so that you don't KILL the only ally you've got?" He got this out just before the discus slammed into his ribs again.

"ARGH! I can't believe I had a _crush _on you!" Serena cried out, eyes flashing.

Darien froze. So he _hadn't_ been hallucinating. "A – a – _what_?"

"I had a crush – no, not even a crush!" Serena stomped her foot in the grass. "I practically worshiped Tuxedo Mask, and now – now – now you have to go and _ruin_ it – "

"Hey! You can stop right there," said Darien angrily. Not that he _wanted _Serena to have a crush on him, but he was more-than-slightly insulted by her apparent repulsion of him. "It's not MY fault you had to go and get a crush on my alter ego – "

"It's ALL your fault! Any idiot knows that if you run around in a tuxedo snatching girls out of death's path, they're gonna fall in love with you – "

You think I CHOSE to wear a tuxedo!" shot back Darien. "Did YOU choose your super-short hooker skirt?"

"NO!" shrieked Serena, eyes bulging.

"Did you _choose_ to be Sailor Moon?"

"NO!"

"Well, I didn't CHOOSE to be Tuxedo Mask!" Darien bellowed. "Sorry if I'm not the dreamboat your crazy dumpling head conjured up! I can't help who I am, okay? I can't _change_ who I am! Did you ever stop to think that maybe I didn't WANT to be Tuxedo Mask?"

He left out the inconvenient fact that ever since he had met Sailor Moon, he had begun to mind his night-job less and less. He left this out because it would be admitting the same thing Serena had – that he had had a crush on her alter ego.

"Well!" Serena's voice sounded weird. Strained. Like it was being stretched. It took a moment for him to realize that this was because she was fighting not to cry. "I'm _so sorry _that you have to transform every time I do. And that you have to find me every time and save my sorry butt every time I get into trouble – " Her voice broke and she began to cry.

Alarmed and internally cursing himself, Darien took a step towards her. _Great job, Shields, make the kid cry – as if she doesn't already have enough on her plate._ He stopped, unsure. If this was Sailor Moon, he would comfort her like he had at the museum. But this wasn't just Sailor Moon. It was Serena, too – and she might just as soon turn his feet into Swiss cheese as let him pat her on the shoulder (the day of the youma attack at the movies aside, that is.)

"I…would get rid of it…if I could," Serena choked out, smothering another sob. Her blue eyes glared across the expanse of grass at him. "But I can't change it either. Sorry for ruining _your life_!" she spat these last words out.

Darien rocked back on his heels, taken aback. Then realization washed over him – Serena wasn't angry with him. She was angry with _herself_. First, for having a crush on a guy who turned out to be her worst enemy (well, sort-of worst enemy), and second, for being the reason Darien couldn't live a normal life. He remembered what he had told Sailor Moon – _I don't have a choice. Every time you transform, I feel it, Sailor Moon. And I have to transform and find you._

She probably felt guilty, now – just like she'd felt guilty for not returning Seiko's affections. Stupid. Stupid Odango.

_Stupid Shields, you mean. How could you not have NOTICED?_ Now he understood why Serena had trudged into school so many days looking so haggard, so lifeless, so drained. She had probably lost as many hours of sleep as he had – if not more – fighting monsters that kept coming back, searching for a crystal that never appeared, risking her life again and again for a princess that had so far done nothing other than take away her chance at a normal life.

_Just like me._

He wished he could change it. The Odango didn't deserve to lead the same kind of life he lived. She had enough on her plate with Ami and Rei being idiots to her – but it was a vain hope. He couldn't even control his own life; he had no way to change hers.

The only thing he could do was protect Serena vigilantly – even more vigorously than he had protected Sailor Moon.

Because now it wasn't some loveable but distant superheroine whose soul belonged to the princess. It wasn't a gorgeous angel who was going to hell.

It was Serena.

"You know what?" Darien crouched down next to Serena. He wanted her to trust him. He didn't want her to hate him. He wanted her to talk to him. He wanted to be able to talk to her. The prospect of having someone else to talk to about youma and generals was…a humungous relief.

But before he could persuade her to talk to him, he had to convince her not to be mad at him. Or herself.

The only problem was that the only way to do this required him to hang up his dignity.

He took a deep breath. "Tuxedo Mask…Tuxedo Mask had a crush on Sailor Moon, too."

Serena looked up and squinted at him suspiciously.

"You're lying."

"Do I look like I'm lying?" Darien grinned at her uncertainly. "Would I look this embarrassed if I was lying?"

"Hmph. Now it's embarrassing for someone to have a crush on me. Thanks a lot," she huffed.

"Well – I just – I mean – it's you, and we're – friends," he finished lamely. "Anyway, what I was trying to say is that…it's not your fault I feel every time you transform. Actually, it really comes in handy, because you have the weirdest knack for sniffing out youma – "

"You're not bad at it yourself," returned Serena wryly.

"Only when I'm in the same place you are," noted Darien. "But, um – I don't mind savng you, Serena. _At all_. So don't you dare feel guilty about it, or I'll have to…hmm…go tell the Chinese Food Guy that you thought he was hot."

"Like he'd care," said Serena dejectedly. "He swings the other way, remember? Why does it always have to be the hot ones…"

"Would you cheer up already?" Darien kicked her in the shin. "You were on Cloud Nine yesterday, what happened?"

"You have to ask?" repeated Serena disbelievingly. She pursed her rosebud lips for a moment, forehead creasing in thought. "Actually…actually – no, this is good, isn't it? I mean, now you know my secret, and I know yours, so I don't have to bop you in the head with the Luna Pen anymore to keep you from seeing me transform – "

"That was YOU?" roared Darien. "That HURT – "

"And we'll be able to fight youma and search for the princess and the crystal together," Serena ignored Darien's outburst, her eyes beginning to sparkle as she ticked off the possibilities on her fingers. "And I don't have to worry about whether you're from the Dark Kingdom or not, because _duh_, you're Darien, I know I can trust _you_ – "

A broad smile unfurled on Darien's face. He hid it quickly behind a hand before Serena could notice it. The insane pleasure he felt seemed utterly ridiculous, though knowing her, she'd sooner hug him than tease him about it.

"And we can make corny speeches together and gang up on Zoicite, and trade information – "

"So you really had a crush on me, huh?" Darien interrupted. Ooh, he was going to milk this for all it was worth…

"I had a crush on Tuxedo Mask!" Serena corrected hastily. "I have pretty horrible taste in guys, huh?"

"Ha ha. I guess we both got caught up in the – uh, well, like you said, skirts and tuxedoes – "

"Plus roses," added Serena. "Can't forget the roses."

"How could I forget the roses?" Darien rolled his eyes.

Serena watched him curiously as she traced circles on the tarnished surface of the discus. "What's wrong? Don't you like them?"

Darien scowled. "Don't get me wrong, they come in handy sometimes – but they seem so _wimpy_…"

"Wimpy?" The blonde snorted. "You, who can kill a youma with just a toss of your cane? Please. Believe me, I of all people know wimpy, and you're not wimpy."

"Odango – "

Serena cut him off quickly before he could say anything. "How'd you get stuck with the roses, anyways?"

Darien sighed and let her change the subject. He sat down Indian-style and propped his cheek on his hand. "Search me. I don't even know where the tux comes from."

"Same here." Serena fingered the bejeweled gold brooch that she had pinned at her waist. "I mean, Luna gave me this, but I don't know where exactly the fuku comes from and all…"

"This Luna. What's her deal? She's the psycho talking cat from the museum?"

"Luna." Serena's eyes hazed over. "How can I explain Luna? She's – well, she says she comes from the moon. Like, she was sent to find all us Senshi and awaken us so that we could carry out our mission of finding the Moon Princess and the Silver Crystal." Serena paused for a moment and lifted her thoughtful eyes to his. "She was pretty freaked out when she saw you could kill youma with that cane. That was when she started acting weird. She told us – the Senshi, I mean – that if you had enough power to take care of a youma, you had enough power to defeat one of us in a fight. She said you must be from the Dark Kingdom – oh, but I already told you that."

"Yes," murmured Darien, his mind reviewing the memories of that battle. She had been so frightened by that damned cat… "Why were you so scared of her?"

"Um…well…" Serena wound her arms tighter around her legs, hugging them to her chest. "That time…at the movie theater…did you hear what Zoicite said?"

_Finally! I'm going to get some answers!_ Darien leaned forward intently. "Yes."

Serena averted her eyes from his intense gaze. "I…well, that night, after you drove me home, Luna was in my room – which I didn't expect, because, you know, she and the Senshi were mad at me for letting all those people die – "

"WHAT!" snarled Darien. "They told you that was YOUR fault!"

Serena winced. "Darien…it's okay – here, just let me finish – Luna was in my room, and I was trying to convince myself that Zoicite had just been lying, but then I saw Luna, and I remembered how she had kicked me out of the temple, and – "

At this point, Serena's fists were clenched, and she seemed to be seething to herself more than to Darien. " – then she was trying to make out like I had been riding around with boys instead of fighting, but that's not true, I've fought more youma than Ami and Rei _ever _will, I and I just got _so mad_, and I realized that I shouldn't trust her anymore than I trusted Zoicite, so I _asked_ her when she was planning to tell us that we had sold out souls to the princess? She just froze up, and that was how I knew that it was for real. I mean, I hadn't believed it before, but – "

Serena let out a shaky breath. "Anyway, then she wanted to know who had told me that. I told her Zoicite, and then – stupid, stupid, _stupid_ me – I asked her if she'd told Rei and Ami yet. She didn't answer, just, like, teleported or something, in this big cloud of smoke and…disappeared. And I'm assuming she told Mars and Mer – well, I don't care if you know, they're Rei and Ami – because they've stayed away from me ever since."

"Wow," said Darien softly. "But you don't know how you've…_sold_ your soul to the princess?"

"I have _no clue_." Serena shook her head, eyes darkening. "And it's not – I mean, it doesn't _seem_ to affect me at all – "

"Maybe it doesn't do anything until the princess is actually found?" Darien mused. "Either way, it _sucks_. I – I wish I could change it – "

Serena gave him a strained smile. "It's not so bad. They're probably safer now, without my klutz attacks getting them into trouble all the time."

"Mmm." Darien grunted noncommittally, thinking back to the youma battle at which that new general, Malachite, had shown up. Speaking of which, he needed to update Serena on that new general's presence, since she hadn't been at that battle, and it seemed that her Senshi hadn't been talking to her… "I propose that we meet at the arcade after school today and have a sort of tactics meeting. There was a battle the other night that I think you need to know about – "

"Really?" Serena's eyes widened. "No one was hurt, were they?"

"No, no." Darien shook his head. "It's just – well, I'll tell you after school."

"Now who's keeping who in the dark?" grumbled Serena. "You better not – "

"SHIIIIIIIEEEEEELDS! TSUKINOOO! GET YOUR BUTTS OFFA THAT GRASS! IF YOU TWO DON'T STOP YAKKING AND START TOSSING, I'M GONNA MAKE YOU CHANGE PARTNERS!"

"NO!" shouted Serena and Darien, springing to their feet and automatically leaping for each other.

"OOOOOOH," said the class.

"Click," said Asanuma's camera.

"THUNK," said Darien's skull as it collided with Serena's.

"Owwww," moaned Serena and Darien, crumpling to the ground.

* * *

_Ten minutes later_:

"I swear, I see the two of you more in one week than I see of anyone else in a _year_!" muttered the nurse as she handed Serena an ice pack. She returned Serena's grateful smile with a severe frown, bustling over to hand Darien an identical ice pack. As she turned away from him, Darien made a face at her back, making Serena laugh.

"I don't see why you're laughing," said the nurse crossly when she heard Serena. "You're going to have a bump the size of Tokyo on your forehead for the next couple of days. Not very attractive." She propped her clipboard on her hip. "I'm going to take these accident reports to the office, but don't you dare move. I'm going to keep the two of you in here during lunch so that I can make sure neither of you sustained concussions."

Once the nurse was gone, Serena began to laugh again. "Between my forehead and Lita's black eye, we really are gonna look like we're in a gang."

"Hmm." Darien tapped his chin, smiling at Serena's infectious laughter, but thinking intently. He had so much he wanted to ask her, but where to start? The matters weighing heaviest on his mind were the most depressing ones: asking about hell and selling her soul and Mars and Mercury – Ami and Rei, rather – aw, why bother with it? He'd ask later. "When'd you first find out you were Sailor Moon, 'dango?"

Serena swung her legs back and forth where she sat atop one of the nurse's filing cabinets. Her short legs just barely skimmed the floor. "Hmm…it was at the beginning of this school year – oh, yeah. Remember that day after school when Motoki snuck potato salad into Numa's chili dog and Numa freaked out and – "

"Knocked it off the table and all into my hair," finished Darien dryly. "Yeah, how could I not remember that?"

"Yeah, well, I stayed and helped Toki clean up, so I was late going home. Mom got mad cause I told her I had been at the arcade – she thought I'd just been playing video games, you know – and sent me to my room. I fell asleep and had this really weird dream – " Serena flushed bright red suddenly.

"What?" Darien looked around. What could cause Odango to look so embarrassed? "What is it?"

"N-n-nothing," stammered Serena. "Anyways, I woke up, and there was Luna in my room. She gave me my transformation brooch – "

"That?" he pointed at the gold locket on her chest.

"Yeah, this. Anyway, she said I had this duty to find the princess and her crystal and to protect her. I thought I was going crazy, but then I transformed, and I dusted this youma attacking Molly – and that was the first night I saw you – " She darted a glance at him. "Do you…remember?"

"How could I not?" Darien grinned. "Klutz like you stumbling around in high-heeled boots ."

"Love at first sight, right?" she said sarcastically.

"Basically."

She shot him a glance. "You're serious!"

Darien shrugged. "I told you Tuxedo Mask had a crush on you. Why, weren't you stunned speechless by my dashing hero attire?" He struck a pose.

Serena blushed and mumbled something inaudible, then said crabbily, "Stop acting like Asanuma."

Darien laughed delightedly. "You WERE! Ooh, I have blackmail material now…"

"And I don't?" inserted Serena slyly. "What would Toki and Numa think of your midnight escapades?"

"They'd be jealous," replied Darien without hesitation. "At least – Motoki would, I'm don't know about Asanuma. If he found out I was Tuxedo Mask, he'd probably try to glomp me."

"Aw, don't worry, Sailor Moon will protect you," teased Serena.

"Hey, guys."

Serena and Darien turned at the voice to see Lita standing in the doorway.

"Lita!" Serena exclaimed happily. "I was just talking about you! Look, now we match!" She pointed at the huge bruise forming on her forehead.

"Now all you need is a bandanna and a coupla tattoos and you'll be gangsta," replied Lita, lips curved in amusement. "What happened, were you guys trying to kiss and Serena slipped or something?"

"LITA!"

"Sorry, sorry," chuckled Lita, holding up her hands to block Serena, who jumped for her. "No, no, don't hurt me – look, I brought food! Here!" She shoved her bento at Serena, laughing. Serena gave her one last reproachful look and retreated back to the filing cabinet to eat some of the goodies Lita had brought.

"Are you sure you're not related to Asanuma?" asked Darien warily, watching Lita perch on the side of the nurse's desk. "That sounded suspiciously similar to something he would say."

"He might have asked me to say it…" Lita grinned. "But you two did sound like you were getting pretty friendly in here…"

Serena made a strangled noise of protest that caused Lita to laugh again, but Darien did not miss the warning glance the brunette shot in his direction.

* * *

The nurse let Darien and Serena leave shortly before lunch ended. The rest of the day passed by quite uneventfully, aside from Serena walking face-first into Lita's locker door. (Serena laughed off Lita's concern, chirping something about now having a bruise on her nose to match her forehead.) Motoki saw them as they were walking out of the English hall and waved them over to where he, Darien, and Asanuma were.

"Hey, Usa-chan!" he greeted the young blonde, then fell into step with Lita. "Hey, Lita, I tried making the zucchini bread the way you said last night, and I am quite proud to say that it _worked_!"

Serena exchanged a wide grin with Darien and Asanuma was Motoki puffed out his chest.

"Oh – and I brought that recipe for the French silk torte…"

"Sweet! I'm so trying it out this weekend…" Lita took the index card from Motoki, slipping it carefully into the front pocket of her school bag. "I'll have to go grocery shopping after the arcade…"

"If you wanna wait till my shift ends, I could go with you," offered Motoki. "I mean – my mom asked me to pick up some milk this morning, and I could show you the best brands to get for the most delicious torte – "

"He's trying so _hard,_" whispered Serena to Darien, laughing.

"Isn't he forgetting one thing?" Darien whispered back out of the corner of his mouth, leaning down so that Serena could hear him. "What about Reika?"

"You guys are a little behind," whispered Asanuma loudly, popping up between them. "Oh, well, I guess that's what happens when you spend lunch in the nurse's office. What happened, did Serena-chan find out that she was pregnant or something?"

"ASANUMA!"

Asanuma flapped a negligent hand. "Don't you worry, Serena-chan, I'll make sure Darien pays his child support. Anyways, as I was saying, Toki broke up with Reika at lunch."

"No way!" Darien's eyes bulged out. "After all that time he spent trying to get a date with her…"

"I _told_ you so," hissed Serena.

"I don't see what you're complaining about." Asanuma stretched. "I mean, sure, Lita looks like a juvenile delinquent, but I like Toki's crush on her much better than his obsession with Reika. With Reika, he made us help him with all those harebrained schemes, but with Lita-chan, he just makes lots of yummy food! Like pineapple crumble…yum…"

"Ew, stop drooling on me, Numa!" exclaimed Serena, jumping out from underneath the rope of drool beginning to drip from Asanuma's mouth. "And pineapple crumble is GROSS."

"Aw, so young and naïve." Asanuma sighed and patted Serena's shoulder. "Someday you will see the light, Serena-chan. Pineapple crumble is the best dessert on the planet."

"No, it's not! Tiramisu is!"

"Nope, nope, nope. Pineapple crumble."

"Tiramisu!"

"Pineapple crumble!"

"Tiramisu!"

"Pineapple crumble!"

"Tiramisu!"

"Pineapple crumble!"

"TIRAMISU!"

"PINEAPPLE CRUMBLE!"

"DARIEEEEEEEN! TELL HIM THAT TIRAMISU IS BETTEEEEEEEER!"

Darien shook his head. "You're both stupid," he informed them. "Motoki's brownie-fudge milkshakes taste twenty times better than pineapple crumble and tiramisu put together."

"_Duh_," said Serena, rolling her eyes. "Tiramisu mixed with pineapple crumble would just be gross."

"Vomit-inducing," agreed Asanuma.

"Oh, good God…"

"I'm kind of jealous that they're arguing over your cooking and not mine," Lita commented to Motoki, hitching up her ponytail. The two of them had been observing the conversation since Numa and Serena started yelling at each other.

"That's just because they haven't tasted any of your desserts yet," Motoki reassured her, adjusting his backpack strap. "But once they do, your pantry will never be full again. Those kids are vacuums – well, not so much Darien, but Numa, and Usa, especially, she's a black hole."

"I've noticed," Lita replied wryly. "She practically inhaled the fried shrimp I gave her yesterday. But she's a little ball of energy, so it's not like she doesn't use all that food."

"Exactly." Motoki chortled as he watched his friends bicker – Serena and Asanuma had ganged up on Darien with their schoolbags, whapping him in the head. "You know – don't think I'm gay or anything – but I like mothering them."

"Mothering like how?" asked Lita curiously, tucking some hair behind her ear.

"Well, like – like whenever something's bothering them, or they're not feeling good, I want them to feel like they can come to me. That's why I keep that stash of soda in my locker – I know it's totally weird and dorky and stuff, but…"

Motoki rubbed his neck, a blush suffusing his freckled face. "It make me feel more important, you know? Like I'm doing something. I mean, Asanuma's always doing crazy stuff to crack us up, and Dare helps us with homework and keeps us out of trouble, and Serena-chan – well, Serena-chan's Serena-chan, and we'd love her even if she hadn't been the one who dragged Dare out of his shell last year – but I don't really do anything special. I'm not funny or especially smart… I just like to cook. And see my friends smile."

Motoki shrugged suddenly, shaking his head. "Ah, sorry about all that. You don't care about any of this, I shouldn't have started babbling your ear off – "

"No!" Lita blurted out. She blushed and scratched her head, not looking at him. "I mean…" she began more gruffly. "I don't get why you'd spill your guts like that to a perfect stranger like me, but – " Her voice squeaked, and she cleared her throat. "I'm glad you did. And I don't see why you think you don't do anything special. Serena jabbers about you nonstop! Almost as often as she mentions Shields. It's Toki baked this, Toki says that – it sounds to me like you're a pretty important part of your little group, Motoki."

Motoki glanced at her. "_Our_ little group? Don't you consider yourself one of us too?"

"Well – I – uh – " Lita kneaded her forehead with a knuckle, frowning slightly at him. "I know I come off as a crass bully, but I wouldn't be THAT presumptuous – "

"Are you kidding?" Motoki made a Darien-like snort. "Any friend of Usa-chan's is a friend of ours, and you are _definitely_ Usa's best friend right now. Well, except maybe Darien," he added as an afterthought. "Who knows what their relationship is now, it changes by the hour. Anyways, we haven't seen Usa this happy-go-lucky in months! We're in your debt! And…" his face colored slightly. "You don't come off as a crass bully, Lita-san."

"Not to you guys, maybe." Lita's lips twisted sardonically. "Since you actually took the time to talk to me." Her fist clenched. "Tell me, though – would you have ever bothered to talk to me if it weren't for Serena?"

"Ah…well…tough question." Motoki watched the blonde in question; she had a streamer of blonde hair looped around Darien's throat like a leash and was dragging him down the sidewalk while giving Asanuma a high five. "Probably not."

Lita's shoulders slumped, and she let out a sigh. Motoki opened his mouth in an attempt to redeem himself – he was quite aware that no girl would have wanted to hear him say that answer, but it was the truth…

"What's wrong with your face? You look like you've got a stomach ache – from all the zucchini bread you probably pigged out on last night, huh?" Lita winked at him.

"Wait…but…" Motoki fumbled. "Aren't you mad?"

"Nah." Lita twirled an errant strand of chestnut hair around her finger. "I like that you're honest. If you made up some crap about how we would have met no matter what because we're meant to be, then I would've known you were full of sh – " Lita's eyes widened suddenly, and she coughed, turning bright red. "Oops…I mean – ah – "

"Meant to be?" Motoki sprouted imaginary devil horns, a grin stretching his freckled face. "Why, Lita-chan, could it be that you reciprocate my feelings?"

Lita sighed, sweat-dropping. "You're a lot more like Asanuma than you think, you know that?"

Motoki drooped. "Ouch."

"Ooh!" Asanuma bounced over. "RE**JECTED**!"

"I didn't say that!" shouted Lita, pinning Asanuma with a glare. The jokester keeled over, swirly-eyed from the force of her scowl.

Darien sighed and moved forward to catch him, only to have his moment arrested by the leash of Odango-hair around his neck. He gagged and jerked backwards, only to be yanked in the opposite direction again as Serena rushed forward to catch him herself.

"Numa! Are you okay?"

"So…scary…" mumbled Asanuma, lifting a hand slowly. "Need…a…healing…kiss…"

"Whoah!" Serena stumbled away from Asanuma's puckering lips, backing straight into Darien and knocking him to the ground. She let out a yelp as her hair (which, remember, was still looped around his poor neck) yanked her down as well. On top of him. "Why does this sort of thing always happen to meeeeeeeeee?"

"Click," said Asanuma's camera.

"Odango, if you don't untie my neck this minute, I'm going to saw your hair off."

"Don't blame me!" Serena groused, crawling awkwardly off of Darien to the sidewalk on her hands and knees. "Geez, Mr. Grumpy…you don't even have any scissors! What are you gonna chop it off with, your teeth?"

"And get a hairball the size of China?" Darien retorted. "I don't think so." He sat up as Serena unwound the last of her hair from his neck. "You're lucky I didn't get impatient and decide to break out my roses…"

"Just try it, grandpa. My tiara could take your overgrown carnations any day!"

"CARNATIONS?"

"That's what I said, grandpa! Where's your hearing aid?"

"You ungrateful little brat!"

"You mooching senior citizen! Taking all our social security!"

"We live in JAPAN, blondie!"

"SO?"

"AHEM!" Motoki stomped over and whacked them both on the back of the head. "I'm trying to flirt here!"

"_Trying_ is right!" chortled Asanuma. "Because you just got RE**JECTED**!"

"I did NOT reject Motoki," denied Lita, patting a now sobbing Motoki on the back. "There, there, Toki – I like you a lot. I think you're adorable. I just don't want to go out with you when you're on the rebound."

"But I'm not on the rebound!" protested Motoki. "I dumped Reika for YOU!"

"How about this?" Lita crossed her arms across her chest and shuffled over to Serena, who beamed up at her. "I'll go to prom with you, Toki. And if we like how that turns out – well, then we'll go out. 'Kay?"

"You've got yourself a deal!" Motoki pumped Lita's outstretched hand vigorously. "Shall we seal it over a milkshake?"

"Separate ones."

"Aw…Lita…"

"Toki…"

"Lita…"

"Toki…"

"Lita – oh, fine! C'mon!"

"Wow." Serena blinked as Motoki sped down the sidewalk, yanking Lita along with him. "I've never seen that side of Toki before!"

"Yes, he's a lecherous man, our Toki." Asanuma sighed and patted Serena on the back. "Well, I'm following them so I can make fun of Toki…" He cackled and rubbed his hands together greedily. "Do you two promise not to have any Kodak moments while I'm gone?"

"Cross our hearts, hope to die, stick a needle in your eye," grumbled Darien. HOW had he gotten stuck with a friend like this?

Asanuma lifted an eyebrow. "Wrong, Mr. Genius. It's 'stick a needle in _my _eye.'"

"Exactly," retorted Darien.

"You're mean, Dare-Bear." Asanuma sniffled. Then he brightened. "Actually, if you stuck a needle in my eye, I'd have to get an eye patch like a pirate. Arrr! And then all the girls would forget about Johnny Depp and fall at my feet – oh, the POSSIBILITIES!" Asanuma swooned and fell to his knees in front of Darien. "Stab me, Dare-Bear, stab me!"

The hair on Serena's neck prickled. She glanced around her and saw that nearly every pedestrian on the sidewalk had stopped to watch Asanuma's theatrics. But just that wouldn't cause her neck to prickle like a youma was present, would it?

She scrutinized the faces closer. Maybe it was a youma in disguise?

Her gaze was snagged by a pair of flashing violet eyes. Rei, standing on the curb across the street, her long hair whipping in the wing like black wings. And there beside her was Ami, who was trying to tug Rei away. Her eyes were wide and frightened, like they'd been that morning.

Rei locked her gaze on Serena. Serena felt a bead of sweat trickle down her neck. What would they do? Her hands crept subconsciously to her brooch.

Ami saw the movement and let out a cry. The sound distracted Rei, enabling the bluenette to yank her away into the crowd.

"Was that them?" Darien's voice penetrated Serena's racing mind. She nodded.

"Was that who? What are you guys talking about?" Asanuma gripped Darien's shoulder, looking at Serena.

"Ami and Rei…" Serena breathed, still staring at the spot where they'd been.

"Rei was here?" Asanuma turned to Darien for confirmation.

Darien pulled his eyes from Serena's inscrutable expression to look at his friend's hopeful face. He suddenly knew the rest of the question Asanuma had been about to ask Serena at the museum café.

"What was she doing?"

"She was – well, she was watching you, of course!" Darien did his best to sound sincere for his friend's sake. "Who wasn't? You were being quite a drama queen."

"Was she laughing? Did she like it?"

"Of course she was, Numa," said Serena, suddenly, snapping out of her trance-like state. She smiled reassuringly up at him. "Rei loves your jokes."

"You're lying, Serena-chan." But Asanuma wore a huge, silly grin. "She does not."

"She does!" insisted Serena, waving her hands around to emphasize her point. "Remember that time you put frog legs left over from your dissection project into her iced tea?"

"How could I forget that?" Asanuma's shoulders drooped. "She gave me a bloody nose."

"Yeah, but when me and Ami were at her place that night, she almost busted a gut because she was laughing so hard over it!"

"Was she laughing because putting frog legs in her tea was such a funny prank or because she drew blood from me?"

"Oh." Serena fell silent. "I guess that's probably more likely…"

Asanuma sighed. "Thanks anyways, Serena-chan…I think I'll go take a walk or something…maybe go buy some Chinese from the hot guy at the mall and drown my sorrow in lomein noodles…"

He shuffled off down the street.

"Oh…" Serena's hand found Darien's sleeve and gripped it tightly. "He's so _sad_," she whispered. "Darien, I thought he was going to cry."

"I can't believe he likes _Rei_." Darien watched Asanuma turn a corner and vanish from sight. "He never said _anything_…"

"I'm going to set them up," Serena decided, voice determined. "Someone like Numa would be so good for Rei – he'd take her mind off the temple and her grandpa for once and make her laugh – "

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Darien said skeptically. "Rei thinks you're a Dark Kingdom flunkie. She's not going to come within ten feet of you without burning you to a crisp, much less let you set her up with someone."

"I don't care," Serena said fervently. She let go of his sleeve. He looked down to see her glaring fiercely into the sunset. He felt himself smiling, and on a whim, squeezed her hand.

She turned and flashed a smile up at him. "She can hate me and want to kill me as much as she wants, but I'm going to make her happy!

* * *

A/N: I think I jinxed it when I said last chap that I couldn't wait to write this chapter. No matter how many times I re-wrote it, it wouldn't come out right. Sorry, everyone! (clasps hands and begs forgiveness) Anyways… Here are the revplies. Look 4 your name.

**Cendari**: I LOVE that Sere, Dare and co. remind you of your friends – that was my main goal when I started the story (well, my main goal apart from getting Sere and Dare 2gether.) No offense to the canon, but whenever I watch SM, I always think two things, 1.) Man, this could be so much FUNNIER, and 2.) I love Sere and Dare together, but they need to show us WHY they belong together.

Hmm. I think I just sort of drifted off onto my own tangent there. Ah well. As for the whole "reserving myself" to only a chapter a week, the truth is that that's all I have TIME for.

**Neonlights**: Hello again, my friend. I'm rather sad, because everyone was so psyched up about the whole Sere-Dare smelling each other thing, and I just couldn't make it as funny as everyone was expecting…(falls to her knees) Please forgive me!

**Ka0ri-chan:** You are now one of my favorite reviewers. Why? Because you left the LONGEST REVIEW THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN!I actually had to scroll down to read it – you rock!

Anyhow, I can see how you were unable to get past the first couple of chapters at first. I myself only think the story's started picking up in the past two or three chapters. I also totally agree with your view of Darien. I HATE when fics make him nothing but a wussy love interest. Darien can kick butt (like in S. Wright's fics, have you read those?), AND his crystal is just as powerful as Serena's, if not more so because he's still on his home planet. As for Lita – I'm REALLY glad you like her, and that you saw the motives behind her personality.

**Digitaldawn:** Lita's still got some choice to makes ahead of her…but I won't ruin the story. : X

**Midnight-Nemesis:** I will. I think a flame from you would scare me. (trembles)

**Angelgrl185**: I agree! Lita and Motoki all the way! (Nephlite's too girly.)

**Serena and Darien7**: Lita's black eyes will be explained…as will Luna's scary fits.

**Sailormoonhannah**: I beg to differ. There is NO ONE hotter than Hatori. Kyo is pretty sizzling himself, I'll give you that, but not as hot as Hatori, who looks like a cross between Darien and the guy who played Robby in the new War of the Worlds movie (drool…so good…) Thanks for the review!

**fallenavalon**: I'm digging the name. I have a lot of errors in the fic, but I'm planning to go back and fix 'em once the story's done. I'm not sure if Lita WILL have old boyfriends at this point…but if she does, I won't be able to resist slipping in the joke!

**Palikani**: THANKS YOU SO MUCH for posting my as one of your Authors of the Week! It was a thrill, lemme tell ya – now I've got something to brag about!

**IssaLee**: Asanuma's just crazy. We like him the way he is, but he'll probably need an anchor sometime in the near future…people like that are always hiding something. I'm glad you like Lita's less-open character…another of my attempts at realism…

P.S. Loved your poem!

**Bera-Moon**: Your reaction was almost identical to my sister's. I think it's really awesome that Luna makes you guys so mad! I, too, wish Sere and Dare would hurry up and just get together already…but it's more fun this way. At least, it would be if I was a reader and not the darned WRITER…

**CharmedSerenity3**: I'm afraid that the answer to your question is classified information…

**Sirenic Griffin**: Female friends are ESSENTIAL. Even if you've got a perfect guy like Darien.

**Legolover**: I shall continue with Lita's character. Like your name.

**MysteryLady-Tx**: Psst. What does LMAO stand for? Who says Asanuma wants to go to the prom with a GIRL? Ha ha, just kidding. (It's a slow day, please forgive my attempts at comedy.) Asanuma will probably go to prom alone, but he won't leave it alone, if you get what I'm saying.

Hmm, WHY did Sere feel something from Miss Lanai? All shall be revealed in good time, my young Padawan…

**Poisonmoon**: I always love your reviews. I also love the fact that you like how clean my story is. I have a lot of innuendo (glares at Asanuma), but I try not to write anything that I wouldn't let a sixth-grader read. Or something that if your parents caught you with it, they'd ban you from the internet forever.

**BLiberalQuestionAuthority**: Tell me if you think this is weird, but you kind of remind me of Lita. At least, the motherly Lita you advised me to write. You're always so nice, and polite, and – or maybe it's just because you called me hun. Either way, I always look forward to your reviews. I've definitely taken (or tried to) your words about Lita to heart.

**Quietcoloredmusic**: THAT is a unique name. It kind of makes me think of that Pocahontas song – Colors of the Wind? I like it. Arigatou!

**Nimbirosa**: Another wonderful name. Anything even slight resembling 'nimbus' is cool in my book. You're right about Ami seeming uncertain – but she's very dutiful, our Ami. As for Asanuma, you're entirely right that he should be way more respectful to Darien. But that's the manga Numa, not mine. Actually, my Numa is an entirely different person than he was in the manga (he doesn't even look the same.). He's older and crazier. And – well, I'll see what his relationship with Lita is. Anyways, I was quite impressed by your story! I kept thinking about it for the rest of the day after I read it… I LOVE it when stories do that to me!

As to the queen of SM fanfiction, I TOTALLY have to agree with you that Princess Destiny is best, closely followed by Draegyn and S. Wright. I LOVE Pricness Destiny's stories – especially Spin the Bottle and True Sight, and Teddy Bears Are Not Self Defense and Senshi Wars and – actually, ALL of her stories. (I especially love her portrayal of Ami in Spin the Bottle's Book 3.) My only complaint for ANY of these authors is that they haven't finished their fics! (sobs) ITAIIIIIIIII!

**Whitey9h**: How could I get kidnapped by crazy monkeys? I AM a crazy monkey! Chunky monkey, funky monkey, hunky monkey – wait, that's Daniel Radcliffe – anyways. I love food. Especially Chinese food. Especially Chinese food served by hot guys. I'm tickled pink by your intended use of "I was just showing him my zucchini bread." I started thinking about other 'dirty' food innuendo, and I was quite appalled by what I came up with. Someone should write a fanfiction about that. It would be so FUNNY!

**Shrouded Mist**: Lita doesn't have a defect. I really wanted to give her one; when I first started the fic, I was going to give her the nickname "Klepto Kino," but it just wouldn't work with the story. Not to mention that you guys would all crucify me if I made Lita like Ami and Rei…I'm really sorry I left you guys hanging for so long! But I'm glad you felt tortured. (I'm a SADIST!) Arigatou!

**Jojodacrow**: I was starting to feel sad for Serena, too. I intended to wait a little bit longer before bringing in Lita so that Dare and Sere could grow a bit closer, but it didn't work out that way. (sigh) I hope I didn't burst your bubble with this chapter, though.

**MunChixD**: I LOVE IT! You guys all want to kill Luna! Who's the stupid one now, huh, Luna? Not Usagi!

**Wizardemon**: (wipes away tear) Your review is so sweeeeeeeeeeeet! I'm so happy that you love the story….as soon as possible, I am planning to check out your story and leave a review. Gomen, I've been rather tied up this week…

**Oxostardustoxo**: Luan may be telling the truth as SHE sees it…which might be right, and might be wrong. XOXOXO!

**SilentAngel101**: Horoscopes! I LOVE horoscopes! Mien says that I will meet my true love in late July – the same time Harry Potter and the Half Blood Princes comes out. Coincidence? I think not.

Hmm. Throughout most of the story, Motoki has called Serena "Usa," so it was deliberate. It probably confuses some people, but I did it to show a bit of extra familiarity between Toki and Sere- you know, Toki's known her since she was little and stuff. In my fic, anyways.

**Ishq**: Always love to see your review. I like Lita, too – she's been one of my fave Senshi even since I saw the beginning of Sailor Stars. Thank goodness you liked my speech! I was kind of iffy on it, I was thinking it was corny, but I put it in anyways.

I'm getting kinda sick of Dare and Sere's relationship going so slow, too. I really need some mush. But I will be strong, I must resist. Because the thing I wanted most when I started this story was to show how friendship could turn into love….must…resist...urge…to write…WAFF….

**Meg-of-the-Moon**: MEG-CHAAAAAAAAN! How ya doin? Are you okay, after the bombings? When I saw the story on CNN, I thought about you. You're okay, right?

As for your crush on Asanuma – lemme say you're not the only one. Several of my friends have asked if they could have him, and I myself wouldn't mind a piece of him – but I guess it's Numa's choice. (sigh) And there's someone he's had his eye on for a while…

**elianthos**: Heeeheehee...smell the truth. That was a good one. HIGH FIVE! Wouldn't you love to ruffle Darien's hair? It looks so silky. I was worried thtat might be too significant an action for Serena to make this early in the story, but it seems like it worked okay…?

I think that you might be the second reader to have noticed the subject to change aspect of the story. RIGHT ON! I've been trying to stress it…it will become more prominent later, I think. Beryl's words to Malachite will DEFINITELY affect the plot… good job!

**JESSEK: **Thank youuuuuuuuuuuu!

**A Tye: **Well, the cologne wasn't an aphrodisiac, or a pheromone of some sort…(sigh) Pity.

**Hidden Sovereign**: I had a dream once about a Chihuahua on the side of the road and kept barking at me. Its head inflated, and then its barking was REALLY loud. I wonder what story inspired that? oO

I'm glad that you're "just loving" my story. It makes me feel like a McDonalds! Ooh, now I'm hungry…

**Red-Rose18**: ARIGATOOOOUUUU!

**Terri14**: I'm really sorry I couldn't post the new chapter b4 you left…but I'm really glad my chapter made your day! (Don't you LOVE stories like that? Wait, that sounded really egotistical…but I was talking about ANY story!)

**Starlit Warrior**: Thankssssssssssss.

**Shortygirl333:** We shall see if Lita stays with Sere or joins Ami and Rei…Lita doesn't particularly like either of them, but will she feel duty-bound to join them once she finds out that she's a Senshi? WILL she find out that she's a Senshi?

**Alicia Blade**: Again, I'm so thrilled that you even READ my story. Your name is as well-known in the Sailor Moon universe as, well, Usagi's!

Ami and Rei drive me crazy, too. Their disorders…argh! I wished I'd never given them those disorders in the first place! But from here on out, no more of that nonsense! Just plot and romance! And Asanuma. Can't forget him!

**Lady of Masbolle**: It's fun to fangirl. Especially in public, where people turn around and stare at you – OMGSQUEEE! It's so FUN!

**Rose Zen: **You can no more stop Asanuma than a hurricane. He's not REALLY gay, though. I promise he likes girls. I just hope I can continue his humor…

**Nanie-san**: Love ya! Thanks for the awesome review; this was one of my fave battle scenes also!

**Raine of the Darkness Clan**: Aw is always right when it comes to Serena and Darien. 

**Neo Djii:** I. Love. You. Your review was one of the first I came home to, and I practically fainted when I saw its length. (I know it's a cliché, but I love long reviews!) I can't believe you think that I'm such a great author – that's really, really nice of you! (EightofSwords' little sister sighs as EightofSwords' head begins to inflate – "Not AGAIN…")(I think I might know where that Chihuahua dream came from now…) And thank you for being so patient – update when I _can_. I love your name, too. How'd you come up with it?

**Dark Hamadryad**: Hmm…I would like to know your theories about Numa-kun…they're prob'ly right on the money. There IS a reason for everyone's quirks – well, Luna's, at least. I'm extremely pleased that you think my characterizations are accurate – thank your for giving me an opinion on them. A lot of readers just ignore my pleas. But I'm insecure! I need opinions!

**Little TinkerBell Girl**: Yay! You think I've found a balance between drama and humor – thank you SO much. Seriously, it really worries me sometimes when one minute Serena's in tears and the next Numa's laughing his head off about something. Did that make sense?

**Lady dove of the green eyes**: 'ot Boy is all mine. This is because Sailor Cosmos left him in my care. You see, she had to go off a kick the butt of yet another alien lady who wears a size Double J bra – or would wear a size Double J, if any of those vain villainesses ever WORE bras – and was trying to kidnap Darien and make him her love slave. When are they going to understand that Dare-Bear doesn't go for the dominatrix type?

**FluffieGirlie**: Merci!

**Kimra:** Hey! I love you stories to pieces, too! Although I've only read some of them…I need to rectify that. Anyways, thank you SO MUCH, Kimra-san, for your wonderful feedback!

**Eternalsenshicosmos**: You're going to France this summer? Take me with you! I want to meet hot guys… (sniffles). Ah, well. Let me give you a little piece of advice before you go – whatever you do, don't say _Je suis chaud_, okay? As always, thanks for your awesome reviews! (Ooh, ooh, ooh, you should, like, draw on a little mustache like Miss Lanai when you go! That would be so FUNNY!)

**SerenityChild:** Don't die! Then you can't review! NOOOOOOOOO!

**Sailorceb**: I really really really want to have Serena yell back at the scouts, too. But she feels like everything's her fault, so that doesn't fly, darn it.

**Asocial**: Now THERE'S a name I can relate to. I don't care if you're crazy. I'm GLAD that you want to kill Luna – don't repress these primordial urges. Take them out on the closest dentist! ; )

**Serenity-hime: **Every shade of puce is deadly. Unless Daniel Radcliffe is wearing it, and then it's merely ugly. I wish I had been there with those guys you sat with in freshman year! They sound awesome…taking over the world…wish the guys at MY school talked about that…all they talk about is Halo 2 and how Padme didn't look hot in Episode III because she was pregnant…

Mmm, I just read your review for Chapter 2 of Don't Want U2C. Long-lost sisters! How cool would that be! The reason I used the whole Leo thing (and the only reason I even KNOW that Darien's a Leo) is because when I was in my mega-Moon phase, I looked for characters whose birthdays were close to my own. Darien's birthday is August 3, the day after my own – yay! And in all my horoscope books, it talks about how self-centered Leos are, so that fit with the way I'm trying to portray Darien here. I know that he seems like he's oscillating wildly from encouraging to icy, but that's often how I myself feel when I'm talking to the people I like, so I tried to use that…do I make any sense at all?

**MintChocolate5**: Thank yooouu!

**MegTao**: I'm glad to be the one to re-introduce you to the genre! Merci beaucoup!

**Seren Lunar Echo**: Hmmm….please?

**AidanPryde001**: Yes! I'm glad you think my story's got such a mix – mixes are good. Like, when you pour Mountain Dew in with cola….yummmm….

**chibimoonEmEm**: Yeeeeeesssss…. :

**Becx**: I TOTALLY agree with you on the whole Mars, Merc thing. Even since the – I dunno, fourth chapter, I have regretted making Rei and Ami the way they are. But now I've done it and I've gotta finish it, so…(sighs, then brightens) I'm glad Dare and Sere are going good, at least! Thanks you for all your wonderful reviews AND your constructive criticism. That's more important that just saying what you liked.

**Rayne StarDust**: Thank you soooooooo much!

**Mord-Sith Rahl**: Um, no. A tomato is most definitely a fruit. Which makes no sense to me, since most fruits taste good and tomatoes DON'T (aside from ketchup), but it's true. You can look it up. I want a pencil-on mustache, too. I gave myself one with black lipstick in my English class once…that was the same day I stuffed a pillow up my shirt and spoke in an Italian accent…aw, memories. : )

Sincerely,

Madamoiselle Asticot

P.S. Wouldn't it be horrible if you were both? A maggot AND a hooker, I mean. (shudders) A maggot hooker… Eeeeeeewwww.

**Cherry-Dmy**: I saved you for last because your review was so….incredible. I mean, of course I think that because basically you were just out and out complimenting the story, but – um – well, that's why I liked your review. (scratches neck sheepishly). Um…I can't thank you enough for what you said. It really, really made my day – no, not my day, it made my WEEK!

As to your confession – (grins) I'm in love with Numa, too. Which is kind of wrong in an incestuous sort of way, since basically I'm his mother – well, his adopted mother, at any rate – but yeah, he is hot, isn't he? Guys who can make you laugh are THE BEST.


	22. When It Rains, It Pours

A/N: I'm really, really, really sorry for such a late update, you guys. It was totally and completely my fault…you see, last weekend, Harry Potter came out (WOOHOOOOO!) so of course once I got home from the bookstore at midnight, I read all day Saturday. I WOULD have started working on the chapter then, but my mom – who told me earlier on that I wasn't allowed to post another chapter of fanfiction until I finished (or at least started) the Huck Finn essay my English teacher assigned for the summer – found out that I, er, "accidentally" posted a new chapter of _Don't Want U2C_ and grounded me from everything until I finished that goshdarned essay. I've finally done the essay – it sucks, but it's done – so heeeeeeeeere's Chapter 22!

1.) In the manga, Sailor Moon has an attack called "Moon Twilight Flash." I did NOT make it up.

2.) Everyone who complained about Zoi's gender, you find out in this chapter why I change it. Kind of.

3.) Sailor Moon wears her mask in my version.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, or Golden Grahams.

* * *

**Subject to Change**

Chapter Twenty-Two: When It Rains, It Pours

* * *

_Something stirred in the shadows of Beryl's inner sanctum – someone observed the queen of the Dark Kingdom. But Beryl did not notice it. Her eyes were for her prey and her prey alone._

_"Tell me where she is."_

_A pained cry, blistering the air. "I do not know!"_

_"You will speak, or I will kill him."_

_"No…he was like a brother to you…!" The voice rose into a scream as the sound of leather biting into flesh echoed in the yawning caverns._

_Beryl's tongue snaked out to stroke her glistening fangs as she watched the delicious bruises and tears erupting on her victim's flesh. She WOULD tell her…_

_"Please!" The frail shape struggled to lift itself on its elbows from the cold flagstones. It collapsed immediately; after its long imprisonment and myriad interrogations, it was scarcely more than a skeleton. _

_"You will TELL me."_

_"I…know not…please…have mercy on him…"_

_Beryl's face twisted as her victim fell completely silent and still. "Metallia, the energy you have given me is gone."_

_"**Then you should have used it more sparely**," rasped a voice. "**I have no more to spare you, Beryl. Send your generals out with a youma. When they are successful, then you will be able to play with your toy again.**"_

_Something that was not blood glinted red in the dark cavern. But it quickly vanished, along with its owner, who no longer had the stomach to watch._

* * *

_Friday Afternoon_:

When Serena and Darien entered the arcade, they were ambushed. Not by a cadre of youma or even Zoicite, but by a mass of frightened little elementary schoolers.

"Serena-onee-chan! Serena-onee-chan!" they cried, clutching her hands or little fistfuls of her school skirt. "There's a scary lady talking to Toki-onii-chan!"

Serena, patting one brown-haired little girl on the head, glanced towards the counter to see Motoki locked deep in conversation with Lita, waving around a plastic spoon like a sword as he spoke.

"You guys are crazy!" Serena exclaimed, squatting down to be on their level. She caught Darien's amused-looking gaze and made a motion to him to go and snag the counter booth before someone else could. Then she transferred her attention to the anxious-looking children once more. "Why are you guys so scared of her? That's Lita, she's one of my best friends!"

"But…" The redhead clutching Serena's left hand – Yasashi – peeked over the blonde's shoulder. "She's so big, Onee-chan!"

"You guys just think that because you're so used to me, and I'm a midget," said Serena matter-of-factly, squeezing Yasashi's hand. "Lita drinks a lot of milk, so that she can grow big and tall to protect her friends."

"You mean if I drink my milk I can be as big as her?" breathed Buji, a third-grader with a crown of curly brown hair and big brown eyes. Serena had met him a couple of months ago, when she and him had fought over who got to play the Mortal Kombat game first. They had ended up playing together at the same time due to a compromise of Motoki's, and Buji had been Serena's favorite ever since. She reached out to ruffle his tousled hair.

"Of course, Buji-chan! In fact, I bet you're going to be even taller than me in a couple of years!"

The sudden image of Darien snorting and saying, _That won't take long_ popped into Serena's head. She smiled, shook it away, and stood up. "C'mon, you guys, let's go talk to Lita so you can see how nice she is!"

Serena marched purposefully up to the counter, the knot of children following close at her heels, though not without hesitation.

"Lovebirds," sang Serena, swinging Buji up into her arms with a grunt and plopping him down on the stool beside Lita. "Come out of your little world for a minute to talk to some of my friends."

Motoki blushed and Lita scratched her head. Her eyes swept over the gaggle of children that had followed Serena like ducklings. She shifted uneasily on her stool; all the enthusiasm that had made her glow when she was talking to Motoki had vanished

"This is Buji-chan – but you can call him Honey Bunny if you like, he loves to be called that – " Serena laughed as Buji scowled thunderously. " – and here's Hiro, and Mimi, this is Touya, and this shy one here is Yasashi. They wanted to meet you!"

"Did…they?" Lita mustered an uncertain smile.

"Yup!" Serena nudged Lita playfully. "Don't be bashful, they won't bite, Lita! Well, Buji-chan might."

"Onee-chan!" whined Buji. "I'm not a dog!"

"Of course not, you're a Honey Bunny!"

"Onee-chaaaaaan!"

"Aw, stop making fun of the kid, Serena." Lita elbowed her friend, loosening up. "He'll be able to beat you up when he gets older."

"You think so?" Buji's eyes widened eagerly.

"Oh, but Honey Bunny wouldn't beat up his favorite onee-chan," protested Serena.

"Honey Bunny wouldn't, but Buji would," said Buji darkly.

"Doesn't he just remind you of Darien?" whispered Serena happily to Lita. "Look at that scowl!"

Lita's eyes shot up. She looked down at Serena, who was now ruffling Buji's hair and giggling as he tried to fend her off, then at the dark-haired junior who was sitting in the corner booth, his hands knotted behind his head as he watched the scene with a smile.

"Serena-chan, if you don't stop, I'm going to ask Lita-san to be my new onee-san!"

The threat perked Lita's ears up. Something warm brushed the corner of her heart, and she jerked immediately from her intense scrutiny of Shields. Had the little booger actually said what she thought she'd heard?

"Lita-san!" gasped Buji, now breathless from laughing as Serena mercilessly tickled his ribs. "Be my onee-san, pleeeeeeeeease!"

"Sure," said Lita as nonchalantly as she could to hide the elation she felt warming her inside. She threw Serena a mock glare. "Back away from my ototo-chan, Serena."

"You guys are so mean." Serena pouted, then turned to Motoki. "Toki, can me and Darien get some soda and a milkshake?"

"Sure thing." Motoki took out a couple of glasses. "What are you and Darien doing over there in the back booth, hmm?"

"Like you're one to talk, Toki," Serena retorted. "Flirting with Lita instead of taking care of your customers. These poor children are starving, feed them!"

"Actually, I get the feeling I'm going to be seeing a lot of milk mustaches pretty soon," replied Motoki, watching the kids climbing all over Lita.

"So if I drink lots of milk, I'll be as tall as you?"

"Does ice cream work, too?"

"Baka, if ice cream worked, Serena-onee-chan would be twenty feet tall!"

Serena scratched her head and grinned and Motoki. "I'd better leave before my self esteem gets totally squashed, huh?"

* * *

Serena wore a grin like the Cheshire cat when she plopped down across from Darien with their dripping-cold drinks. "Am I good, or am I good?"

"You did an outstanding job," agreed Darien. "It was an ingenious way to get rid of the kids, although I didn't think you'd stoop so low as to dump them on your friend."

"What!" Serena's face donned an extremely affronted expression. "How can you say that? I wasn't dumping them on Lita, I was making her open up some more! She couldn't resist those cute little faces!"

"Oh." Darien reached for his soda and sipped thoughtfully. "That does seem more like something you'd do."

Serena sighed. "You're clueless." She turned around to look at the fifth-graders scampering onto the stools around Lita, who was arm-wrestling a red-faced Buji as the others cheered them on. "But I'm proud of my work. They love her!"

"The endorsement from 'Serena-onee-san' probably didn't hurt." Darien cackled. "You looked like a teen mother with all them swarming around you."

Serena flushed. "Twice in one day that I get accused of underage preganancy. Why me?" She twisted around, peering down at herself. "Do I look fat or somethign, like I've been pregnant?"

"No…."

Darien's voice sounded slight hesitant. She spun to look at him. "It's my legs, isn't it? I know they look fat, but it's because they're short like the rest of me, so it's not like – "

"You're not fat," said Darien sharply. "Your legs look like twigs. Now stop feeling sorry for yourself, we have to focus."

"Yes, we do." Serena nodded vigorously.

"We need to talk."

"Undoubtedly."

"We have to plan this out."

"You're absolutely right." Serena briskly whipped a napkin out of the dispnser and leaned across the table to pull a pen from Darien's breast pocket. "Now, if we're going to set Rei up with Asanuma, we – "

"SERENA!" Darien snatched the pen back from her. "That's not what I was talking about!"

"Then what _were _you talking about?" Serena crossed her arms, as though to say _What could be more important than getting Rei and Asanuma together?_ Which was probably what was going through her mind, come to think about it.

"When I say 'Dark Kingdom,' does it a-ring any bells?"

"Oh, them." Serena looked away, making a face. "Do we have to?"

"Yes," said Darien firmly, gently taking the napkin out from under her restless fingers. He uncapped his pen and wrote a list outlining the topics they needed to cover:

_1.) new general_

_2.) weird behavior of Senshi – Rei always did seem a little unbalanced, but were they always THIS psycho? Is there something I should know? _

_3.) any clues to Silver Crystal – or that princess, I guess_

_4.) Lita_

He underlined this last item several times, and as he finished and capped his pen, he felt the back of his neck prickle, and the hairs there stand on end. He glanced nonchalantly over his shoulder to catch Lita's green eyes once again fixed suspiciously on him.

"Your friend's staring at me, Odango," he muttered out of the side of his mouth. He gave Lita an innocent smile before turning back to Serena. "I don't know if I trust her."

Serena stopped slurping her milkshake – which was brownie-fudge flavor, he noted smugly – to look at him. "Why not?"

"Well…" After a moment's hesitation, Darien related to her the story of how Tuxedo Mask had encountered Lita on Tuesday night.

Serena's reacted exactly how he had predicted she would. Her eyes grew wide as dinner plates, blue and concerned, and her hand covered her mouth.

"Oh, poor Lita," she breathed. "So that's how she got that black eye. Who was that horrible guy? She said it wasn't her boyfriend!"

"You're missing the point," said Darien impatiently. "Seijou kicked Lita out for fighting, and I caught her fighting with that guy in the alley. She seems alright so far, but what if she drags you into trouble?"

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of," Serena declared, glaring at him. "You yourself said it was that guy who was bullying Lita, not the other way around. And I haven't seen Lita do anything violent since I met her."

"I know she seems like she wouldn't, but you thought that Ami and Rei were yoru friends, too, and look what they did – "

"That doesn't have anything to do with this!"

"It does! People can change, Serena – "

"Exactly! People can change! Maybe Lita got into fights at her old school, but she's changed now! She's not going to up and punch me, Darien!"

Darien was breathing hard. "I don't know that."

The look Serena gave him was incredulous. "_You_ don't know that? What does it matter if _you_ know it?"

"It matters because _I_ have to protect you!"

"From adolescent girls?" Serena adopted a frightened expression. "Ooh, how noble! I notice that you haven't been trying to protect Motoki from her."

"Serena…" he growled, leaning towards her.

"What's going on here?" A hand suddenly landed on the table between Serena and Darien, whose faces were only inches apart. Both flushed as they realized this, and shoved themselves back in their seats.

"I asked a question, pretty boy," Lita growled at Darien.

Darien blinked, then returned the tall girl's scowl. "I was telling Odango here that I'm not sure she should hang out with you."

Serena shot up and grabbed Lita's arm. "Ignore him, Lita, we'll go talk to Toki, come on, Darien's just being a jerk – " she threw him a scathing look over her shoulder – "he's acting like _Seiko_."

The retort Darien had readied fell from his lips. Realization rushed into him like a flood of water. _But…_

Lita pried Serena's fingers from her arm and placed her other hand on the tabletop, looming over Darien. "You think I'm gonna beat her up, Shields?"

It took a moment for Darien's mouth to form the words. "Based on what I've heard about you track record at Seijou, it seems like a possibility, yes."

"Oh, so you're a guy who likes to gossip, huh? Very manly, Shields." Lita's lip twisted. "In fact, you just_ reek_ of manliness."

Darien colored slightly. It was true, the scent of that damned cologne had yet to fade.

"Let me tell you about another guy whose manly pride got him into trouble," snarled Lita quietly. "He was messing with a freshie, I told him to knock it off. He wouldn't listen, so I busted his lip for him. He thought he'd be smart and catch me in an alley for some payback, and he got a little, but I gave as good as I got, till some fruity vigilante wannabe showed up and knocked him out. I fainted – " Lita paused here for a moment, her own neck flushing slightly with embarrassment. " – and the next thing I know, I'm in a cop car, and that bastard's outside telling the cops I jumped him and knocked him out. The cops told the principal, I got expelled from Seijou. End of story."

Guilt roiled in Darien's stomach. It was his fault that Lita had been kicked out of her old school – if only he had told the 911 operator that a girl had been attacked by a guy, instead of just saying that there had been a fight…Serena had been right, Serena was _always_ right…

"The only reason I told you this," said Lita very quietly, still glaring at him, "is because I know you care about Serena and you just don't want to see her get hurt, and neither do I. She's the best friend I've ever had, and I'm not stupid enough to risk that. Capiche?"

Darien nodded stonily.

"Good."

Lita turned to go, but her exit was blocked by the arms Serena threw around her middle.

"Thank you, Lita," hiccupped Serena, voice muffled by Lita's shirt. "That's the – _hic_ – nicest thing anyone's ever – _hic_ – said about me!"

Lita looked down at the blonde head in obvious consternation, at loss as to what to do. After a moment, however, her face softened and she patted Serena's head. "You're welcome." She leaned down and whispered into Serena's ear. "Now you go talk to him, okay? Don't get mad at him. He was just trying to protect you, Serena."

Serena loosened her grip, looking up. "Are you – _hic_ – sure? He – _hic_ – hurt you…"

"As if a scrawny Mathlete like him could hurt me!" Lita wrinkled her nose and pushed away from the blonde. "Stop insulting me, Serena!"

Serena giggled and sniffled, tripping back over to the booth where Darien was staring at the tabletop. Lita watched and returned to the counter.

* * *

Serena and Darien resumed their conversation as though nothing had happened, though for the first couple of minutes an atmosphere of awkwardness hugn over the table. They covered everything that had happened from the very first time each of them had transformed a couple of months ago – amazing how it had been such a short tiem ago yet it felt like a lifetime! – with considerable relish and sympathy, depending on what was called for.

Serena was rather confused by Darien's narrative of his dream princess's behavior.

"But Luna always says she's so sweet," she murmured after Darien's lengthy complaint of how whiny and demanding she was when she ordered him to find the Silver Crystal.

"Yeah, well," said Darien, pounding the ice at the bottom of his glass with a straw. "Obviously Luna hasn't been telling the truth about a lot of things."

This sent Serena into a thoughtful silence until Darien – slightly disconcerted by her uncharacteristic quiet, and rather missing her chatter – nudged her leg with a foot. At which point the conversation started up again, this time on why the new general had seemed so focused on the color of her hair.

All in all, it went pretty smoothly…but since this IS Serena and Darien we're talking about, they did hit several snags. Some bad and some enlightening…

**Conversation Snag #1:**

"WHAT? ZOICITE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE!"

Serena mumbled something.

Darien's eyes bulged. "AND your parents are gone!"

"No, but that's better!" Serena insisted. "Don't you see, that means the Dark Kingdom can't hurt them to get to me – well, it means that they'll have to work a little harder to do it, at least – "

"It means that you're alone at home, unprotected!" Darien was fuming. "I don't want – you can't – urgh!"

He exhaled noisily. Serena couldn't very well come over to his place: that would be entirely improper. And she couldn't go to Ami's or Rei's because they thought that she was the enemy –

"Don't you think that I can take care of myself?" demanded Serena. But there was a touch too much emotion in her voice. Darien smiled ruefully when he heard the slight hitch in her voice: she always tried so hard to keep a happy face on.

And he'd let her, because that made her happier than having to argue with him. But that didn't mean he was going to sit back and do as she said. Nope, nope, nope…

**Conversation Snag #2:**

"Let me get this straight. You think that _Miss Lanai_ is the Moon Princess?"

Serena twiddled her thumbs. "Well, it makes sense, sort of. I saw her wearing that crystal necklace, and she was telling us all those stories…"

Darien grimaced because she was right. Once he thought about it, Miss Lanai did seem to meet a lot of the Moon Princess criteria. But – the woman drew a mustache on her upper lip, for God's sake! How could she be royalty!

He thought harder, causing Serena to laugh at his severely-creased face. He ignored her, comparing Miss Lanai's and the dream princess' voices in his mind. They didn't sound at all the same (for one thing, the dream princess didn't have a French accent) – but he _was_ basing this on a dream. Well, several dreams, but still. There was really no proof that Miss Lanai was not the Moon Princess.

There was none that she _was_ the Moon Princess, either. He told this to Serena, who merely shrugged (clearly disagreeing with him) and changed the subject.

**Conversation Snag # 3:**

"Wait a second. Rei lit your tuxedo on fire?"

"That's what I said, Odango, take the cotton out of your ears."

"Shut up," said Serena absently. She twirled a strand of hair around her finger thoughtfully, staring into space. "I had hoped that maybe – now that I'm not there anymore – they would have gone back to acting normal…"

"What happened to them?" asked Darien curiously. "They didn't use to act like that. I remember the first time you brought Rei to the arcade, she was really shy and – well, not psycho."

"I _know_." Serena scrubbed angrily at her forehead. "Ami, neither. For the first few weeks after I met them, everything was totally normal, but then – it was weird, we just went to school one morning and Ami had to touch all the doorknobs, and she started counting how many strands of hair were in one of my ponytails, and she burst into tears when she lost count. At first, I kinda thought, okay, it's just stress, because we had fought a youma the night before and come out of it pretty bad, the youma even got away. But then we went to Rei's house after school, and Rei was transformed and using her fireballs to burn up leaves one at a time – "

"No, no, wait, I think you've got something!" interrupted Darien suddenly. "You said the youma got away?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it did." Serena's voice rose slightly. "You're right! It didn't really seem to attack us either, which got Ami really confused and mad, because all it did was make these leather couches appear out of thin air. But then the couches sprouted, like, arms, and they caught both of the girls in them – and they, like, glowed or something for a minute, but since it let them go a second later, I didn't think anything about it!"

"Then that's it!" Darien's eyes sparkled. "And because it didn't get dusted, it's still able to exert control over them."

Serena suddenly jumped to her feet and began to stuff all of her things into her backpack.

"What are you doing?"

"I have to tell them all this!" Serena zipped up her bag and grabbed her milkshake – she was never one to waste food, that girl. "They don't know that a youma's controlling them – "

"You can't tell them this!"

Serena nearly fell over in shock. "Why not!"

"Because! They want to kill you, remember?"

"But I've got to tell them – "

"No way! You're not going anywhere near that cat or Rei, Serena, and that's final. Now sit down."

In all truth, Serena wanted nothing more than to do just that. Rei and Luna scared her more than she had ever thought they could be capable of – bitter bile rose to her throat when she thought of what they might do if she were to approach them. But even if they weren't anymore, they had once been her friends. And they were Senshi, and fellow human beings besides – as Sailor Moon and as Serena Tsukino, she owed it to them to tell them what she and Darien had figured out.

Her hopeful heart pointed out that maybe the youma was the reason Rei, Luna, and Ami had deemed her an enemy. Maybe once she alerted them of the youma's existence, their friendship would be mended and everything could go back to normal, and she could introduce them to Lita and set Rei up with Asanuma and everyone would be a big, happy family again.

As happiness lit in her blue eyes, Darien knew that her idealistic side had taken over. He had to intercede now, before it was too late. "Serena," he blurted out, "I don't trust them not to hurt you! Please, promise me you won't go near them?"

Maybe it was the tiny, nearly unnoticeable break in Darien's voice as he spoke these words. Perhaps it was the way he wouldn't look at her as she spoke, but turned his head so that he faced the window and a handful of silky black hair fell over his eyes. Or the hesitant way in which his hand slid carefully, cautiously, over hers on the tabletop.

Whatever it was, it knocked the words of protest straight out of Serena's mouth, like shock stealing the air from a pair of lungs. Goosebumps raced along her arm, up to her shoulder, and a shaky breath trembled out of her lips.

And she couldn't bring herself to deny him.

So she promised.

But she didn't mean it. She crossed her toes inside her Mary Janes and felt miserable as she watched the relieved smile break out across his face.

It should have occurred to her that Darien had always been able to tell when she lied, and that there was no reason for this occasion to be any different.

They left soon after that. Motoki, who got off work early on Friday nights, had gone with Lita to the grocery store. With Asanuma absent and the arcade mainly populated by younger kids, there was really no reason to stay.

Darien insisted on walking Serena home. In fact, he didn't plan on her being ANYWHERE alone for the next week, but he was careful not to relay this to her. She was already annoyed enough.

"Do you think I'm going to walk into a pole and knock myself out?" Serena stomped ahead of him in the falling dusk. "I can walk home by myself! I do it every day!"

"That was _before,_ Odango."

"Before what? Before Zoicite found out who I was? Sorry, buddy, you're a little late."

Darien smiled a smile that bared all of his teeth. "Before _I_ knew who you were and that Zoicite also knew."

"Hmph." Serena still wore a disgruntled expression, but she slowed down to fall into step with him. "You know, it doesn't make sense. Why does the guy always work the girl home? Why doesn't the GIRL walk the GUY home once in a while? It doesn't make any sense."

"There's a certain logic behind it," said Darien, smiling, "when you take into consideration the physical difference between males and females." At Serena's _so what?_ look, he elaborated. "Men are better equipped to protect themselves, while girls – I'm not calling you weak, Odango, I'm just explaining!" He danced out of the way of her stomping foot, holding his hands out in front of him with a devilish grin. "If you hurt me, I'm not going to explain it to you anymore."

"Fine," said Serena, folding her arms. "I know what you're saying, anyway, I just don't like it. Just look at Lita! She could kick your butt!"

Darien fingered the side of his face where Lita's punch had crunched into his skull. "Gee, it's nice to know you have so much confidence in me."

"Well, you can throw roses better than her, anyhow," comforted Serena, patting his shoulder. "I think. Hey, we're here!"

Darien looked up. They stood in front of Serena's neat white two-story. The empty driveway reminded him of exactly how many lines of protection stood between Serena and the Dark Kingdom – or the Senshi.

One.

Him.

"You wanna…come in?" said Serna awkwardly. Her father would freak if he knew she was inviting a high school boy into the house, but he was miles away – and this was _Darien_, after all. Tuxedo Mask. He'd never hurt her. Or anything else. Yuuuuuck!

"No, I've got to get going," answered Darien, a little too quickly. "Thanks?"

"Where to?" asked Serena curiously. It never entered her mind that such a question might be rude, because she was asking out of interest and not nosiness, and this was what Darien liked about her. She nosed her way into people's lives without ever asking – if she had had the sense of propriety other girls her age did, they never would have become friends.

Friends.

"I've got to do something for a friend." Darien pushed her up the walk. "Go on, I want to see you go in before I leave. Lock the doors, close the windows, and don't answer the door – "

"Darien, I'm not _three_."

"You sure act like it sometimes," Darien retorted. "And you're going to trip if you keep walking backwards like that."

Serena stuck out her tongue at him and turned around to face the front door. She reached a hand into thin air, and Darien watched bewilderly for a moment as her pale hand disappeared. Then it re-emerged with something metallic glinting in it, and he realized that she must have been reaching into her Sub-Space pocket.

"Bye," called Serena as she tugged off her shoes in the open doorway. "Call me if you see any youma!"

"Better yet, I'll drop in on you," muttered Darien under his breath, but threw her a wave of affirmation.

Once the front door closed behind the set of golden ponytails, he walked causally to the end of the block, hands in his pockets. Then, placing his hand on the trunk of a looming oak tree, he glanced around and leapt up into his branches. Rose petals showered down onto the patch of grass he had just vacated; then a black shadow leapt down and crept its way back to Serena's house.

Lady Luck smiled on the tuxedoed youth: a tree stood just outside the window he assumed was Serena's (because it was the only one from which any light could be seen). He shimmied easily up into its branches, found a comfortable niche, and leaned back against the trunk, ready for a looooooooong night. No way were any of those Dark Kingdom sadists getting past him.

A few minutes later, the soft yellow light extinguished itself. A mere second later, the curtains pulled themselves open – Tuxedo Mask jerked up in surprise, then realized that Serena had moved them, for she was curled up on the window seat in a set of frilly pink pajamas, with a glass of water and some sort of food in her hand. His first thought was amusement – did that girl EVER stop eating? – then ire, because she had flagrantly disobeyed his words about not opening any windows, then paranoia. Had she spotted him?

He shrank back into the foliage, willing his eyes to focus on her to detect any sign that she had sensed his presence. His excellent superhero vision determined that there were white bunnies decorating her pajamas and that the food she was dipping into the glass of water was graham crackers.

Eventually, Tuxedo Mask decided that she hadn't seen him, because she had done nothing but stare drearily out of the window. If she HAD thought he was there, she would have called his name crossly and scared all the squirrels from the tree.

Concern swept over him as he watched her listless form. Apprehension coiled in his stomach. Why did she look so lifeless? Was it the Senshi? Finding out that he was Tuxedo Mask? Was she disappointed? Was she frightened? Afraid, despite all her bold words, that Zoicite would come for her as she slept?

His limbs twitched; if that was the case, he could rectify it, he could lift the fear from her shoulders. If he told her he was here, here to protect her –

But no. He firmly forced himself back against the tree trunk. She would make him leave if she knew he was there. Or she would try to make him leave, at least. And she would fuss that he was losign sleep because of her – no, it was better…this…way…

* * *

_"…ren…crys…it…find…tal…"_

_Serena flailed her arms, trying to claw the thick, clinging fog from her body. "Who are you?" she screamed out to the disembodied voice. "I'll help you, but you have to talk louder!"_

_"…renity…can't…need it…help…"_

_"I'll help you!" screamed Serena, tears pouring down her cheeks. She had no idea why they were falling, but they streamed into her mouth, salty on her tongue. "Where are you?"_

_"…ity…the crystal…!"_

_Serena stumbled over something in the fog and landed hard on her stomach. She cried out and leaned up on her elbows, the salty wetness now gushing over her tongue. Funny, it seemed to flowing out of her, not into her…but no time to think about that, she had to help the voice! "Where are you!"_

* * *

A scream tore Tuxedo Mask from his sleep. He nearly fell off the tree branch, his limbs trembling and sweating as though he had just finished riding the Tour de France. He shoved his discomfort from his mind and scrambled as far down the branch as he could to squint into Serena's now closed but not curtained window.

Serena was crouched on her hands and knees at the foot of her bed amidst a mountain of tangled sheets, blankets, and pillows. Her hair hung down around her like a golden curtain as her shoulders heaved.

Serena lifted her head and a hand, which she used to scrub vigorously at her mouth. What in the hell was wrong?

She sat back on her haunches, grabbing a blanket and pillow. The former she wrapped around herself like a medicine man's shawl and the latter was hugged in her arms as she shut her eyes tightly and rocked back and forth. Eventually, she sank back onto the mattress and lay motionlessly, her chest moving up and down slightly.

Tuxedo Mask crawled slowly back to where his branch met the tree trunk. His mind spun. How long had this been going on? Did Serena do this every night, or was this the first time? She had had a nightmare, that much was obvious. He, of all people, knew what the aftermath of an intense nightmare looked like – in fact, Serena's scream had woken him from a nightmare just now –

His spine stiffened, then relaxed. No, that had just been a coincidence. He had nightmares every night, and it was no surprise if she did, too, with all the horrors she had faced as Sailor Moon. But what had this nightmare been about? And how could he ask her about it without revealing that he had spent the night outside her bedroom?

He suddenly kicked himself. Some guard he was! He'd fallen asleep! It served him right that that he'd had another nightmare – although…

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, reviewing the dream. It had been different… the princess who usually sounded so whiny and breathy when she ordered him to find the Silver Crystal had been screaming this time. Not screaming the way someone did when they were angry, but screamed the way someone in a horror movie did when a knife-wielding maniac ripped open their shower curtain.

The way Serena had screamed just a few minutes ago.

"I need to think," Tuxedo Mask murmured, rubbing his temples. "Too much is happening at once…"

* * *

Warm yellow sunlight streamed across Serena's bed when she woke up the next morning. Her sleep had been haunted by restless dreams that swirled with fog and echoed with the same disembodied voice. She had tossed and turned in her cocoon of blankets, not daring to get up while it was still dark, and eventually, she must have fallen into a deep, true slumber, for it was now eleven o'clock in the morning!

She pushed some tangled hair out of her face and slid out of her blankets, padding over to the window and pressing her cheek against its sun-heated surface.

Last night's nightmare had not been a new one. That dream usually assaulted her at least once a week. All she had been able to glean from it so far was that the voice in the fog needed her to find a crystal.

This made sense – she _was_ Sailor Moon and finding the crystal was her mission.

What _didn't _make sense was that the disembodied voice was male. Why would a male be asking her to find the crystal? And who could it belong to? As far as she knew, there were no male Senshi, and the princess certainly wasn't male…unless something had been _seriously_ screwed up in her reincarnation.

Serena groaned, opening her eyes. _That would just open a whole new barrel of monkeys. How much more impossible would it be for us to find the princess if we had to search for girls AND guys?_

She decided to push this from her mind. At the moment, she had more important things to accomplish – like breaking her promise to Darien and approaching the girls.

Serena grabbed her favorite outfit – the blue jumper with the white hooded tank top beneath – and locked herself in the bathroom to take a shower. As she slathered shampoo into her hair, she pondered.

Last night's nightmares, though not new, had been unusual in that she had never had more than one in a single night. Normally, she only had one a_ week_. What had changed? Would it continue? She didn't think that she could handle it if they woke her up every night – especially on school nights.

But there was no use worrying about it when she couldn't do anything about it. She really had to concentrate on was Ami, Rei, and Luna – and Darien. She would have to make sure he didn't catch her trying to tell them, otherwise she would be in HOT water.

As long as she avoided the arcade, she would be fine, she decided. He usually went there Saturday mornings to keep Motoki company in the early morning before the crowds came.

It would be easier to avoid Darien than it was going to be to approach the Senshi. Serena would have liked to talk to Ami first, but she had no idea where the girl lived. Shame painted her cheeks as she realized this – after all, Serena had called the genius one of her best friends!

Instead, after Serena stepped out of the shower, towel-dried her hair, and shimmied into her clothing, she ran to the telephone and dialed Ami's number. She was met by a busy tone.

She stood beside the phone for a minute, chewing her fingernails and trying to muster up all her courage. She crossed slowly to the refrigerator, still mustering, and pulled out the last doughnut in the box her mother had left. She took a bite of its chocolaty, sprinkled goodness, and felt herself straighten. She could do it. She could do it!

Serena crammed the rest of the doughnut in her mouth and raced out of the house.

The dark figure crouched in the oak tree totally escaped her notice.

* * *

Tuxedo Mask leapt down from the tree branch once Serena had vanished. He immediately assumed that she was headed for the arcade – after all, where else did the Odango ever go? – and de-transformed into Darien before heading towards home for a change of clothes. Odango Atama would be safe at the arcade for half an hour.

* * *

"Malachite!"

The pale-haired general strode quickly into his queen's throen room and knelt. "Yes, my queen?"

"I want energy, Malachite!" Black lightning crackled around Beryl's body. "NOW!"

"You shall have it, my queen. Have you any special orders?"

"No! Just get it!" snarled Beryl. "Send out a youma at once!"

"I shall." Malachite swept quickly from the cavern into a smaller chamber. He wiped a gloved hand across a smooth section of the rock wall. It glowed green for a moment, then an image resolved slowly within it.

"Let's see what Sailor Moon is up to, shall we? Can't have her interfering…"

The image was slightly wavery, like something viewed through undulating water. But it was easy enough to discern: two Senshi, one with the beautiful golden locks of Sailor Moon, the other with the long, darker hair of Sailor Mars. The latter was shooting her infamous fireballs at her leader.

"Very nice…very nice…it seems the plan is coming to fruition perfectly. Now, shall we make it a little more interesting?"

Malachite snapped his fingers, once, twice.

Two youma appeared behind him. One held a clipboard, her chest shaped like a medicine cabinet. The other was little more than a green blob with four long suckered tentacles.

"Yes, Master?" the second gurgled.

"Psychotica, remove yourself to this location immediately." Without turning to look at the youma, Malachite pointed at the image in the wall. "Your function is as distraction and destruction." He paused. "I should inform you, Denizen Psychotica, that if your excellent work with the Sailor Senshi continues, Queen Beryl is considering a promotion for you. I shall come to watch your work today and report back to Her Majesty on it. Watch yourself."

Once a pleased Psychotica had vanished, Malachite turned to the blob youma.

"You are to go to this location," he said, summoning a new image in the rock. People milled around excitedly with toys and cotton candy in their hands; it appeared to be a fair of some sort. "Our queen wants energy. Use the lambda strategy and take no hostages."

* * *

Rei glanced up from her sweeping of the temple steps when Luna suddenly let out a hiss. The cat's black fur was standing on end; her tails tuck straight up in the air; and her teeth were bared.

"What is it, Luna?" asked Ami timidly from where she sat typing on her mini-comp.

Before Luna could reply, the cause of her consternation dashed into view. Golden ponytails glinted in the noon sun, as did the brooch peeking out of her pocket.

"You!" snarled Rei, dropping the broom. She stepped in front of Ami, who had scrambled to her feet.

"No, you guys! Listen to me!" Serena walked tentatively up the steps, her hands spread non-threateningly at her sides. "I have to tell you something."

A growl halted Serena's ascent.

"You aren't telling them anything." Luna's whiskers trembled with the bass of her voice as her eyes bored into Serena's. "Traitor."

"No! I'm not!" cried Serena. "You guys – Ami – you have to believe me! I'm not working with the Dark Kingdom!"

"Stop lying, Sailor Moon," spat Rei. "Luna's told us all about what you've done. You've never been on our side at all, all this time we thought you were our friend, but you were waiting to betray us. Not anymore!"

As she spoke, sparks had been shooting from Rei's fingers, brighter and faster. Now they consumed her, whirling around her in a tornado of flames. When they died away, Rei stood in her Senshi fuku, eyes flashing.

"Mars….Fire…IGNITE!"

"REI! No!" Ami lunged for her partner. "You'll kill her – "

"I don't care," panted Mars bloodthirstily, eyes glued to Serena as she dove out of the way of the stream of fire. "Let her die, the witch. Mars…Fire – IGNITE!"

"No!" Ami screamed, nails digging into Rei's arm. "Rei, you'll get arrested, you'll be sent to prison, given the death penalty – "

"If it's for my princess, I don't care." Mars sent another stream of fire at Serena, and another. She dodged again out of the way of the first, but the second caught the end of one pigtail.

"There's a girl," said Luna approvingly, eyes glowing as she watched Serena cry out and stomp on the smoldering hair to extinguish it. "That's how a _true _Senshi talks. Are you a true Senshi, Ami?"

"I…" Ami glanced helplessly at Serena, who had drawn herself to her feet again and was staring at them, eyes wide.

"Please! You guys! There's a youma, it's controlling – "

"Mars Fire IGNITE!" Serena was cut off as more fireballs charged towards her. She wailed and stuffed a hand in the air.

"MOON PRISM POWER!"

A globe of blue and pink light swallowed her up, absorbing Mars' fire. Then Sailor Moon stood there, staring at her Senshi.

"You guys HAVE to listen," she panted. "There is a youma – "

"RIGHT HERE!"

Necks cracked as their heads spun to see the voice. There, at the foot of the temple steps, stood a very familiar youma.

The one they had fought and failed to defeat.

"Did you miss me, darlings?" cackled the creature, pushing its square-rimmed spectacles down on its nose. An armchair appeared behind it and it plopped down in it, crossing its legs professionally. "It's been SUCH a long time since your last session… tell me, Mars, how are you feeling? Not bottling up your anger anymore, are you?"

"You should be dead!" shrieked Mars. "We already fought you! Mars…Fire…IGNITE!"

"Oh, now, none of that." The youma vanished and reappeared a few yards away, safe from Mars' fire. "In fact, I think it's time you took a little rest."

The youma flicked a hand, and a leather couch appeared behind Sailor Mars. Arms shot out of it and clamped her to the cushions. She let out a scream that cut off as soon as the leather couch shot into a floating, horizontal position and the arms turned into ropes that tied and gagged her.

"Now…who goes next?"

"Get rid of the blue girl," spoke a deep voice. A white-haired general appeared, floating in the air above the youma. "But leave Sailor Moon alone. After all, why would we hurt one of our own?"

Sailor Moon's jaw dropped. Malachite gave her a cold smile.

"I – i – it's true," gasped Ami, eyes fastened on Sailor Moon in disbelief. She stumbled backwards, right into the waiting arms of another leather couch.

Sailor Moon's knees buckled beneath her. She fell, hard, to the pavement.

"Well, looks like it's just you and us, Miss Tsukino." Malachite disappeared and rematerialized directly in front of her. She tilted her head back to squint angrily up at him. "I don't believe we've ever met before. I'm General Malachite."

"I don't care."

"Of course you don't." Malachite crouched down to look her eye-in-the-eye. She leaned away. "Queen Beryl has not taken back her invitation, you know."

"I'm not joining you," spat Sailor Moon.

"Your Senshi already believe that you belong to our ranks."

"They're confused! Because of YOUR stupid youma!" Sailor Moon pointed an accusatory finger at Psychotica, who was filing her nails in her armchair.

Malachite smirked. "Psychotica has affected them, yes, but we had nothing to do with them believing you were a traitor. That must have come entirely from them."

"But – "

"No more excuses." Malachite stood. "You have two choices. Join or die."

"I'm not joining you!"

"Excellent." Malachite smiled down at her. "I hoped that you would say that. Queen Beryl wants you kept alive, but this is one case in which disobeying her will be worth it."

Sailor Moon forced herself to her own feet, glaring up at him. "What did I ever do to you?"

"You took _her_ away from me."

A sword appeared between them, its hilt gripped in Malachite's hand. Its tip was just beneath Sailor Moon's throat, she felt the coldness radiating from the metal. "She took her away…"

The sword traced a line of agony down Sailor Moon's white neck.

Blood suddenly spurted onto Sailor Moon's white fuku. A growl exploded from General Malachite's throat, and he yanked out the steel-tipped rose that had just speared his wrist.

"Damn you!" he bellowed, wheeling around to search for the rose's thrower. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

Sailor Moon, watching him shout, felt arms wrap around her waist and knew where Tuxedo Mask was. She also knew that she was in big trouble.

They landed in a tree branch with a rustle of leaves. Wincing, Sailor Moon twisted slowly in Tuxedo Mask's arms to face him. The icy fury that covered his face did not surprise her.

He leaned forward to speak directly into her ear so that Malachite and the youma would not hear him and also so that he could watch them through the gaps in the leaves.

"You," he breathed frostily into her hair, "deliberately broke your promise to me."

Sailor Moon cringed, her fingers curling more tightly about his vest. "I – I know, but – "

"You _promised_ me, Serena." His voice was still deadly soft, warming the side of her face despite all its coldness.

"Darien, I _had_ to – "

"I'm angry, Serena. Not just angry, my blood is boiling. _Boiling_. Do you feel how hot my blood is?"

Sailor Moon didn't know about his blood, but she had to admit that his arms were quite warm, wrapped around her as they were.

"Are you going to ask me _why_ I'm angry, Serena dear?" His breathed words stirred the hair around her ear.

"Because – because I broke my promise…"

"I'm mad because I was so _stupid_. I can't believe I ever thought you wouldn't try to tell them – "

"Does that mean that you're not mad at me?" whispered Sailor Moon.

"It means that I'm furious with you."

"Oh." Sailor Moon pulled her head away from his, resting her cheek on his shoulder instead. "We have to go save Rei and Ami."

"Where's that cat?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen her since the youma showed up."

"Scaredy-cat," Tuxedo Mask muttered, and Sailor Moon stifled a giggle.

Without warning, Tuxedo Mask suddenly launched them out of the tree. Sailor Moon, who had felt his body tensing for the movement, was ready.

They landed on the steps again, in front of an incensed Malachite and Pscyhotica.

"So you finally decide to show up again," sneered Psychotica. "You're just in time, I was deciding what disorders your friends should eb inflicted with next – "

"Let them go!" ordered Sailor Moon, stepping away from Tuxedo Mask.

"I don't think so!"

"I do!" retorted Sailor Moon, grabbing her tiara. "Moon…Tiara…MAG – whoah!"

"Oops!" cackled the youma as a leather couch shot into existence and swept under Sailor Moon's legs, knocking her to the ground. "Again!"

The leather couch zoomed towards Sailor Moon again, about to plow through her. Sailor Moon froze and squeezed her eyes shut tight, hands open and ready to grip Tuxedo Mask's vest as he scooped her up and bore her to safety, which he did several seconds before the leather couch would have plowed into her.

But then something bad happened. The couch followed, and one of its arms reached up and batted Tuxedo Mask's leg, throwin off his landing ability. Instead of reaching the temple roof, as he had intended, they lost altitude and tumbled towards the ground.

And landed on something soft.

Tuxedo Mask realized a split second before Sailor Moon what had caught them. He quickly threw her off of him.

"Oh, DARN!" The youma pouted disappointedly as Sailor Moon sailed through the air and landed on the pavement. "I meant to get both of you! Oh well, one if enough!"

The arms of the leather couch Tuxedo Mask had landed on locked around his struggling form and transformed into ropes. A moment later, the ropes pulsed with ominous reddish light that completely covered him.

"Tuxedo Mask!" shouted Sailor Moon, scrambling to her feet and rushing towards the couch.

"Hmm." The youma tapped her chin with a pencil. "What shall I give him? He seems to be fond of stealing Sailor Moon away every time my master wants to kill her – ooh, yes, that will work nicely!"

She scribbled something on her legal pad, and the reddish light flared, then disappeared. As did the couch, and the couch's arms, until only Tuxedo Mask remained.

"Tuxedo Mask!" cried Sailor Moon in relief that he was still alive, then quickly took a few steps back from him. What disorder had Psychotica given to him?

Tuxedo Mask's eyes opened and flitted around. They landed on the Dark Kingdom general. Then, like a panther surreptitiously stalking its prey, he slid smoothly into the shadows, padding towards Malachite.

"Psychotica," called Malachite, eyeing Tuxedo Mask. "What is he doing?"

"Just watch, Master."

Malachite obligingly stood still, and Tuxedo Mask darted forward from the shadows and snatched the jewel-studded shoulder fastening of Malachite's cape.

"My…preciousss…" he mumbled, stroking the object and ignoring everything else around him.

Malachite shot his youma a look. "I can't say that I'm impressed, Psychotica."

"But Master," whined Psychotica. "I have made him a kleptomaniac! Will this not impede him in future battles?"

Sailor Moon's fists clenched uncertainly. What was she to do? Ami, Rei, AND Darien under the youma's control! She had only one weapon, and it hadn't worked very effectively against Psychotica last time they faced off.

But she had no other choice.

"Moon Tiara MAGIC!"

Laughing, the youma waved her hand and teleported to Malachite's side a few feet away from her original position. The tiara spun through empty air and swung back around to its mistress. Sailor Moon's lower lip trembled as she replaced the tiara on her forehead. She didn't have any other attacks! How was she going to save her friends?

"Oh, Tuxedo Maaaask," sang Psychotica, waving her pencil around like a conductor's wand. "What is that shiny thing on Sailor Moon's chest?"

Sailor Moon gasped and whipped a hand up to cover her brooch. Tuxedo Mask caught sight of it before her fingers completely covered it, however, and he was soon stalking towards her with a happy, blank little grin playing on his lips.

Sailor Moon backed away. "Uh – uh – T-t-t-tuexedo M-m-mask…you d-d-d-don't want m-m-my brooch…"

_If Tuxedo Mask takes my brooch, I won't be able to transform into Sailor Moon or use my tiara, and then I'll NEVER be able to save anyone – PLEASE, Darien, don't take it, don't take it – _

Tuxedo Mask reached out. His fingers closed around the bejeweled gold circle.

Metal shattered, spraying outward in a rain of shrapnel that shredded Tuxedo Mask's mask and tore up his face.

Sailor Moon's forehead felt hot, almost painfully so, but she cried out and ripped her own mask off her face, shoving it onto Darien's to replace his ruined one. Her fingers tried to swab the blood from his face, but the material of her gloves only caught and snagged on the shards of golden metal – it was her tiara that had exploded, she realized – embedded in his skin.

At this realization, Sailor Moon panicked. She lifted a hand – the one that wasn't clutching Tuxedo Mask's wrist to keep him from pulling away her brooch – to her forehead, expecting to feel bare skin.

Instead, there was something smooth and round, like a jewel. She followed it and felt a filigree surrounding it – this was a new tiara!

The moment the thought hit her, her mouth opened.

"MOON TWILIGHT FLASH!"

White light exploded outwards, forcing her to squeeze her eyes shut tight. She raised a hand quickly, scrabbling blindly across Tuxedo Mask's face to cover his eyes also lest he be blinded.

Eventually, the dazzling light faded away. Sailor Moon tentatively opened her eyes, peering over Tuxedo Mask's shoulder at the courtyard.

Psychotica was nowhere to be seen, though a pile of dust sat on the pavement near where she had last been. Rei and Ami lay sprawled on the ground in their civilian forms, breathing regularly, but unconscious. Malachite was on his hands and knees in the middle of the temple courtyard, retching.

And Tuxedo Mask… she looked down to check on him. He, too, appeared to be unconscious…but wait, were his eyelids fluttering open?

"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon squealed as his blue eyes opened. She swooped down and hugged him tightly. "You're back! You're back!"

"Yeah…" Tuxedo Mask blinked groggily at the masses of golden hair surrounding him. He flexed his muscles experimentally and realized that one arm was in a really weird position…pressed between his chest and Sailor Moon's.

He turned red suddenly and jerked away from Sailor Moon. "I – oh, man – uh – sorry about that – "

"Zoicite!" shouted Sailor Moon, staring past Tuxedo Mask in horror.

Tuxedo Mask spun – at the same time moving in front of Sailor Moon. His eyes took in the scene before him: unconscious Senshi, heaving Dark Kingdom High General, and furious-looking Zoicite stalking towards the said general.

Zoicite shot Sailor Moon a venomous look. "_My Queen will have her vengeance for this, Sailor Moon._" She turned back to her ally. "_Malachite, you **fool**."_

At the sound of the voice, Malachite looked up, his pale hair dripping with sweat.

"Zoicite?" he said hoarsely. "What happened? Where's the prince? I thought we were – " He paused suddenly and scrutinized Zoicite more closely – more specifically, scrutinized Zoicite's chest more closely. "What happened to _you_? Did Jadeite dare you to dress up as a woman again?"

* * *

Serena dragged Darien into the arcade a while later. Motoki took one look at them and brought over two extra-large Mountain Dews. Darien's was gone within two minutes, and Motoki brought two more, which he quickly slurped down.

Zoicite and Malachite had both vanished quickly. Tuxedo Mask had de-transformed, then re-transformed so that he had a new mask. He gave Serena her old one back, and she promptly began to panic over all the blood that was trickling down his face from the shrapnel.

Tuxedo had laughed at her. This made her certain that he was hysterical, and she was about to run inside the temple and call 911. Tuxedo Mask had grabbed her, still laughing, and healed himself using his psychometry. At the sight of the golden sparks shooting out of his pores, Serena nearly fainted – and of course, that was when Luna had to show up…AND when Rei and Ami woke up.

Luna pounced – apparently, Serena's hope that it was the youma's influence causing them to think she was an enemy was not to come true.

Tuxedo Mask snatched Sailor Moon out of the way just in time. From there, they went to the arcade, where they were now.

"Spill," said Motoki.

Serena and Darien exchanged Looks. Serena, remembering Darien's myriad insistences that she could not lie worth a cow, kept her mouth shut and began to slurp down her soda.

"Well, you see," began Darien, relieved that Serena had interpreted his Look. "We bumped into each other at the park – literally, you know Odango – and decided to, er, race around the lake."

"You raced around the lake," echoed Motoki blankly.

"Yup."

"You do know that the lake is six miles around?"

Darien nodded. "That's why we're so _thirsty_," he said, taking an exaggerated sip of his soda.

"No wonder you're about to keel over!" Motoki laughed. "Well, that's a relief. For a minute there I was afraid that you guys might have been in that youma attack at the carnival – "

"Youma attack at the carnival?"

"Yeah! Didn't you hear about it?" Motoki's eyebrows shot up. "There's almost fifty people in the hospital because the Sailor Senshi didn't show up!"

Serena cringed at the accusation in Motoki's voice. "But no one died, right?"

"Yeah," said Motoki sadly. "There was a bulletin on the radio, they said three people died. One of them was just a little kid – four or something. He was there with his grandparents." Motoki's fists clenched. "And after those people died in the attack at the movies just last week… It's like the Apocalypse or something."

"Yeah. Yeah, it is." Darien stood up and headed for the door after throwing some money on the counter. Serena did the same. "We gotta go, Motoki, see you."

"Wait!" called Motoki. "Have either of you guys seen Numa today?"

"No, not today," answered Serena, feeling her insides tighten with worry. She glanced up at Darien. "Have you?"

Darien shook his head. "I…uh…wasn't home long today."

"Well, I'm going to call him," said Motoki decisively. "He didn't come in yesterday. I'll call you if I can't get a hold of him, Dare."

Darien nodded distractedly. "Okay."

* * *

Several corpses lay in the throne room, proof of Beryl's attempt to vent her fury at what had taken place in the youma battle. Not only had she lost her control over the Senshi Mars and Mercury, but her best general's brainwashing had been undone. All by that moon brat!

"_My Queen_?" Zoicite's hiss accompanied her figure appearing in the throne room doorway. Pinioned before her was Malachite, his expression guarded.

Queen Beryl turned from the youma whose skull she was twisting slowly, enjoyably from its spine. Blood dripped from her fingers and the ends of her hair.

"YOU!" spat Malachite, spotting her. "What have you done to our prince, witch?" And what had she done to his head? It felt so foggy, as though he'd just gone through the Terra-Luna teleporter without a gravitational adjuster… Had he been drugged?

"Shut your mouth, Malachite," ordered Beryl carelessly. "You have no idea what you have come into. Would you like to know, or shall I just kill you now?"

Malachite subsided reluctantly, throwing both Beryl and Zoicite poisonous glares.

Beryl crossed the cavern to sit down tensely in her throne. "Zoicite, leave us."

Zoicite let go of Malachite and crossed to the chambers' exit. A shadow shifted behind her, unnoticed by any of the three.

As the general closed the doors behind her, Beryl smoothed down her blood-soaked slip. "You remember that you were the bodyguard of the Prince of Earth? And that I and my forces had come to attack the Earth's palace?" At Malachite's icy nod, she continued. "I too remember that day. You will recall that you, Zoicite, Nephrite, and Jadeite had shepherded the prince to the teleportation room of the palace. You managed to teleport the prince just as I entered, and then you destroyed the teleportation device to keep me from following him. Is that the last memory you have?"

Malachite nodded slowly. To his surprise, it WAS the last memory he had. In fact…it was one of the ONLY things he could recall…that and Minako…

Beryl laughed throatily. "That day was a thousand years ago."

"But – how?" A pained grimace etched itself into Malachite's dark face as he thought. One thousand years – there was still a chance that Minako still lived, she had, after all, been subjected to the power of the Silver Crystal…all of the guards of Princess –

His mind faltered. _Princess who?_ "Is – did you – " He stopped, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

"All in good time." Beryl chuckled maliciously again. "I enslaved your minds that ay in the teleportation room. Using magic, I wiped your minds free of the loyalty and love you held for Prince Endymion and bound you to my will. You then accompanied me when I attacked the Moon Kindgom. In fact, you, General Malachite, led the invasion force."

"No…" rasped Malachite. "But…Minako…"

"Ah," smiled Beryl. "I thought we would come to that." She stood and began to descend the steps of her dais. "I killed Prince Endymion and moved on to find the lunar Queen. I was unable to locate her, but you, Malachite, came to me and told me that you had found the Moon Princess beside Endymion, a sword in her belly. It was your opinion, you said, that she had stabbed herself. This was good news to me, and as a reward for your wonderful tidings, I bade you enter the Lunarians' palace with me.

"Inside, we found skirmishes going on everywhere. Among them was your beloved, Sailor Venus. You did not recognize her then, of course. She recognized you, but she did not know that you had been brainwashed. The first clue she got that something was wrong was when you caught the Mau warrior, Artemis, by the throat and held a knife to his neck."

"I killed Artemis?" Malachite wanted to vomit all over again. Artemis had been the closest thing he had ever had to a father, and Sailor Venus' adoptive parent besides.

"Not quite." The smile on Beryl's face grew wider. "_She_ killed Artemis."

"WHAT?"

"I gave her a choice: she had to kill Artemis or I would kill you. Because of the bond you two shared– and it was no light connection, considering that she is the Goddess of Love – she chose to kill Artemis."

"Where is she now?" demanded Malachite hoarsely. Oh, Gods, his poor Minako… "Take me to her!"

Beryl's eyes narrowed. "Do not presume to order a queen, Malachite. Especially not one who holds the life of your soulmate in her hands."

"She is alive, then?" Such a relief poured through Malachite as he had never known. Minako would be able to explain this whole messy nightmare to him. As long as he could see Minako, it would all be alright.

"She is…here. Whether she is alive or not…that depends on you."

A cold chill ran down Malachite's spine. He followed Beryl through a door and down a winding staircase of stalagmites. Eventually, they emerged into a yawning cavern of a room. A huge orange air-filled membrane hung from the ceiling at one end, a strange black shape twisting within it.

Beryl headed towards this membrane, much to Malachite's dismay. She stopped a couple hundred meters short of it, however, and reached out to a craggy section of the wall, stroking it with gnarled fingers.

The dark rock began to undulate beneath her touch, and within a few seconds, a whole chunk of the wall peeled away.

Three objects were revealed behind this wall. Rather, to Malachite, they were three _people_.

A huge crystal, as tall as Malachite himself, was on the edge of the row. Contained within the crystal was a blonde youth – Jadeite, the youngest of Prince Endymion's guards. His eyes were wide and frightened, his mouth stretched in a scream.

Beside the crystal imprisoning Jadeite was a pedestal of onyx, upon which sat a single green stone of zoicite. Malachite, thinking back to the empty-eyed, hissing general that had dragged him into Beryl's throne room, realized that this must be all that was left of the Zoicite he had known during Silver Millennium.

Last was a coffin. Rather, it was not so much a coffin as a shallow basin of the same stone as the cavern's wall. Within it lay a bloody, battered body, so emaciated that its rib cage jutted out and its limbs were no thicker than the diameter of Malachite's thumb.

The body would have been unidentifiable if not for the handful of golden hairs poking from its liver-spotted skull and for the orange stone glinting in the tiara that encircled its forehead.

It was Sailor Venus.

It was Malachite's poor Minako.

Beryl watched his stricken expression with delight.

"I was so impressed by her slaying of her own guardian that I decided to keep her with me. You, Malachite, knocked her out, and you carried her down into this sanctum of mine and laid her in this shallow grave. She loses more and more of her life and being the longer she stays down here, but I have kept her in a suspended state that has kept her from dying completely. I wake her every now and then and have some fun with her, as you can tell – "

Beryl gestured airily to the abraded, slashed, bruised, bleeding paper-thin skin covering Minako's bones.

" – but as it takes considerable energy to wake her, I don't do it often. However…"

She paused.

"However, I have need of her now. And since I cannot control her alien mind the way I can your weak mortal one. Which is why I need you. She will trust you, she will do what you tell her. So I give you a choice, Malachite – either I kill her once and for all and you continue to work for me, or you continue to work for me, and she lives, but works for me. You'll have her back, Malachite. Either way, you stay with me. Wouldn't you rather do so knowing that your beloved didn't die because of you?"

* * *

It was a quiet walk home. The streets passed by in a blur; neither one was aware of much. They were too deeply submerged in their own thoughts. A car could have run over them and they would not have noticed.

Suddenly, Serena jerked to a stop. Darien was startled out of his musing and looked down at her. He suddenly became aware of a warmth around his fingers and glanced down to see that he was holding Serena's hand.

"We passed my house," said Serena with a faint smile. "I just realized."

"Oh." Darien blinked and turned around. Sure enough, they were two houses past Serena's white two-story. "Sorry about that."

"Not your fault," said Serena, tugging him forwards. "It was both of us. You wanna come in?"

It was like déjà vu of the night before. Only…the starless sky seemed much darker.

"Okay," said Darien, and followed her inside.

Serena shoved a frozen pizza in the oven and they grabbed sodas, then plopped down in front of the TV.

Her legs dangling over the arm of her father's favorite armchair, Serena dug around in the cushion for the remote. She tossed it to Darien, who sat comfortably on the couch.

He clicked through channels until they found a movie that wasn't too scary for Serena or too mushy for Darien, then sat back and ate their steaming slices of pepperoni pizza. For a while, they discussed the battle. Darien pinpointed the shattering of Serena's tiara to the minute his hands touched her brooch. They pondered what that might mean until Serena suddenly squealed and pointed at the television.

"I love this part!" she exclaimed, and immediately abandoned all thought of the battle, leaning forward intently to watch the television.

Darien smiled slightly and did the same.

They made it through two more movies before they fell asleep.

* * *

On Sunday morning, after considerable blushing when they woke up in the Tsukinos' living room with the TV still on, Serena and Darien decided to head to the park.

Or rather, Darien – unable to face the prospect of a day spent following Serena around like a hentai – asked Serena if she wanted to go to the park and study for the day. She didn't look too enthusiastic about the studying part, but she agreed.

So after a breakfast of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Golden Grahams ("That's Sammy's favorite," confided Serena gleefully. "Finish it off so he has to eat corn flakes when he comes back. He HATES corn flakes!") and a quick stop at Darien's apartment so that he could change clothes (A/N: I thought it might be nice for me to mention that in MY story, when one transforms into Tuxedo Mask or into a Sailor Senshi, the transformation has the same cleansing effect as though you've just taken a shower, so all Darien had to do was transform into Tuxedo Mask, then detransform back into himself in order to be all clean and fresh-smelling like we love him. Likewise for Serena.), they tramped off the park and claimed a picnic table beside the lake.

Darien looked up from his meiosis worksheet after a couple minutes and saw a yawning Serena doodling in her notebook.

"Odango," he said sternly. "Is that schoolwork?"

Serena turned blue eyes on him with an offended expression. "Who do you think I am? You? Of course it's not homework!"

"Maybe you missed the little part about us coming here to _study_?"

Serena shook her head mock-disappointedly at him, hair bouncing. "Darien, Darien, Darien. I think you've forgotten who exactly you're talking to. I'm Serena, Serena Tsukino, remember? I don't _do_ homework!"

"When you're at the park with me, you do."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do – hey!"

Darien laughed triumphantly and snatched her notebook out of her grasp. He shoved her math book into her face. "Work!"

"No!" Serena shoved the textbook away.

"Yes!" He pushed it back to her.

"I won't do it," said Serena stubbornly, crossing her arms.

"I'll buy you a sundae if you do."

Serena's eyes sparked with interest. "Promise?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes. But you have to do _all_ your homework."

"Deal." Serena grabbed her math book from his hands and began to work industriously, pausing every once in a while to chew on her eraser and glower at sloppily-scrawled numbers.

By eleven o'clock, Darien had completed both biology and history and moved on to Trig. He was quite pleased because the homework for that class had been very light this weekend: only one worksheet containing fifteen problems.

Serena, on the other hand, wore a scowl. Her geometry homework was now tucked safely in her folder, but her other assignment for the weekend – re-reading _Romeo and Juliet _and picking out five pieces each of foreshadowing, metaphors, similes, and personification – was driving her bonkers. Her teeth gnashed as she glared at the small text of the book, the old-fashioned words and tiny letters all blurring together in her head. How could she have EVER thought that _Romeo and Juliet_ was romantic? It was the WORST STORY IN THE WORLD!

After ten more minutes of trying (in vain) to comprehend the insults Mercutio was hurling at Tybalt, she couldn't take it anymore. _Romeo and Juliet_ was slammed shut and stuffed into her bookbag.

"Darieeeeeeen," Serena whined. She leaned forward to lay her head (and its considerable mass of golden hair) on top of Darien's worksheet, hiding it from view, and pouted up at him. "I'm so booooooooorrrrrred!"

"I can't see my worksheet, Odango," Darien informed her, tapping his pencil on her nose.

Serena smiled up at him impishly. "Exactly!"

"Odango,_ move_." Darien pushed her head with a hand, but to no avail. She refused to move. "_Please_?"

"Nope." Serena laughed at the puppy look Darien gave her. It was obvious from her sparkling eyes that she was enjoying this immensely.

"What about your sundae?" Darien crossed his arms, certain that this would scare her into submission.

"I can buy my own sundae. I'm tired of doing homework."

"Okay." Darien leaned down suddenly, his nose brushing hers. She blinked up at him, slightly disconcerted by his dark blue eyes so close to hers. Why, their eyelashes were practically tangling! "What do you propose we do?"

Serena's uncertainty evaporated. "This!" She grabbed Darien's worksheet and darted away from the table.

Darien's jaw dropped in horror so genuine that it was funny. "SERENA! THAT'S MY _HOMEWORK_!"

"I know it is!" Serena stuck her tongue out at him and made a "thhhhbbbb" sound. "Whatcha gonna do about it?"

Darien stood still a moment, still dumbfounded. Then he burst into a run. Serena burst into a fresh explosion of giggles and broke into a run herself.

Pigeons scattered before them, dust was kicked up behind them – a sonic boom was heard that befuzzled many people – the space shuttle wasn't going up today, was it?

Serena had never seen Darien move so quickly before. She was running so swiftly that even _her_ abnormally gifted (thanks to Sailor Moon) legs were beginning to burn. If she hadn't already known that Darien was actually Tuxedo Mask, she would have wondered if Darien did not also have some alter ego's strength and speed augmenting his own.

Darien, meanwhile, was gasping for breath. Sure, he was keeping up with Serena, but it was taking a lot out of him. That girl had legs the like of which he had never seen before – and he wasn't just talking about how great they looked in her Sailor skirt. He scowled as this thought occurred to him, and he gritted his teeth.

Then the unthinkable happened.

Maybe it was the shock of thinking such a thing about _Serena_. Maybe he just hadn't tied his shoelaces tightly enough in his hurry to get back to Serena that morning. Maybe it was just the universe playing a cruel trick on him.

No matter what caused it, here was the cold and painful truth: Darien tripped over a tree root.

It was a classical Serena moment…only it was Darien landing face-first in the dirt and sitting up a moment later to spit out grass and dead leaves.

Serena didn't notice it. She just kept running.

Someone else spotted it, though. And he nearly busted a gut laughing, toppling to the ground and clutching his sides as tears of mirth rolled down his cheeks.

Darien removed another blade of grass from his tongue. "Asanuma," he said sourly.

"Another one bites the dust! Another one bites the dust!" chanted Asanuma before collapsing back into hysteria. "That was the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life – well, except the time Motoki forgot to wear pants under his apron."

Darien, much to his surprise and Asanuma's, found himself chuckling as well. Maybe it was because he was so relieved to see his friend back to normal. He stood up and brushed off his shirt. "I guess it was kind of funny."

"Not funny, hilarious! You pulling a Serena!" Asanuma stood up, too, wiping his eyes. "Ooh, man…" His eyes sharpened suddenly and he peered around Darien – as though expecting to see something behind him – then patted Darien's sides.

"Why are you frisking me?" demanded Darien. He flinched and jumped away as Asanuma's hands became a little _too_ friendly. "WHAT THE HELL!"

Asanuma grinned mischievously up at him. "I was looking for Serena-chan!" He eyes Darien speculatively, hands on his hips. "Shouldn't she be somewhere aroudn here? Like, attached to your hip or something?"

Darien gnashed his teeth, much like Serena had a while earlier. "Numa, if I hadn't been so worried about you, you would _so_ be a bloody pulp right now…"

"Worried? About me?" Asanuma pointed at himself, expression clueless. "Why?"

Darien smiled tightly. So he was going to play that game, huh? "Maybe because you passed up a perfect chance to tease Toki and embarrass him in front of his crush on Friday night?"

"Oh, that." Asanuma flapped a hand dismissively. "I decided to let up on him for once, that's all."

"Sure you did." Darien knitted his hands behind his neck and set off down the sidewalk with Asanuma. "And it had nothing at all to do with a certain Rei Hino."

"Rei Hino?" repeated Asanuma innocently. "Who's she? One of Serena's friends?"

Darien resisted the urge to smash Asanuma's thick skull in. Actually, he wouldn't mind doing that to his precious Rei, either… "Stop being an idiot, Numa."

"I'm sure I don't have any idea what you're talking about, Darien." Asanuma's voice remained light and teasing, but there was a certain brittleness to it.

"Look," said Darien shortly. "I don't like Rei. She's been a witch to Serena, and I won't forgive her for that. But Serena seems to think that she'd be good for you and vice versa. You seem pretty hung up on her, Numa, and I want you to be happy. So just go try, okay?"

"You think I haven't tried? What do you think all those times I messed with her were? Dude, I even tried to ask her to the Christmas dance, but before I could even ask her, she pulled out a lighter and lit up my Spanish binder! She doesn't like me, man!"

The boiling bitterness in Asanuma's voice nearly forced Darien a step back. He stared at his friend with a mixture of pity and sympathy. He had had no idea that Asanuma had ever before tried to attract Rei's attention, but if that was the way she reacted… no wonder he didn't want to give it another try.

But hang on! At the time of the Christmas dance, Rei had still been under the influence of Psychotica! Her destruction of Asanuma's binder had been caused by her pyromania, not because she disliked Asanuma.

So how to tell Asanuma that he still had a chance – without giving it away to him that Rei had been under the control of a youma?

"Numa," he said carefully. "Serena…thinks that Rei has a crush on you. And if you can trust anyone's judgment, it's Serena's."

Asanuma snorted. "Didn't she and Rei get into a huge fight?"

"Well…yeah," Darien admitted reluctantly.

"Case closed." Asanuma shook his head, then donned a bright smile. "So, where IS Serena-chan? Feels like I haven't seen her in forever!"

* * *

Serena, still laughing crazily, was pounding down the sidewalk, unaware that Darien was longer chasing her. She heard footsteps behind her – Darien must be close! She had to escape!

Stuffing his worksheet into her pocket, she scrambled up into the closest tree. Swallowing her giggles, she hugged her branch and peered down through the foliage to see what Darien would do.

A head of black hair moved into sight beneath her – but it wasn't Darien's.

"Remind me why we're here again, Luna," sighed Rei's voice.

"Because _you_ are Senshi." Luna's voice was as stern as ever. Serena clutched the branch, breathing as quietly as she could. "And this is as good a place as any to find our Princess. We have to find her before Sailor Moon or her allies do. Rei, you're on patrol around the playgrounds; Ami, you're in the gardens. I'll take the lake. Meet back here at five o'clock."

Luna's quiet footfalls faded in the distance, leaving Serena, Rei, and Ami (who had yet to speak).

Serena strained her ears to listen to anything her Senshi might say. It seemed as though they hadn't even realized that the youma they had fought yesterday had been controlling them.

"Are you alright, Rei?" murmured Ami's voice. "You look so tired."

"I'm okay." Rei's voice, unusually listless, replied. "I just…it's the…" She sighed. "Ami, do you know if Asanuma is taking anyone to your prom?"

Serena's eyes bulged. She choked back a gasp.

"I…well, no. I don't." Ami sounded rather confused. "Why? Do you – well, excuse me for being so presumptuous to ask, but – do you fancy him?"

Rei didn't reply, at least not vocally. Serena saw her ebony head moving up and down in a nod.

"Oh…my…I, well, I never knew. I'm sorry, Rei."

"I just wondered if you knew," said Rei sharply. "It's not anything important – he's just some guy. I don't really care."

But Serena, watching her two ex-best friends walk away, knew that she was lying.

* * *

A/N: PLEASE REVIIIIIIIIEEEEEEW! I want to know what you think about Dare, Sere, and the whole Dark Kingdom thing.

P.S. Nimbirosa, I HAVE read HP6, and I LOOOOOOOOOVED it! I knew that the person who died was going to die, but I was totally shell-shocked by who did it! I HATE SNAPE!

Um…moving on, I'm sorry that HTD seemed so Sere/Diamond-ish. It wasn't meant to come off like that AT ALL – I am most emphatically NOT a Diamond fan – I meant for it to show how empty and weird life would be if Sere and Dare weren't together. Please forgive me? (clasps hands pleadingly)

Giri-chaaaaaaaan! You're back! Yaaaaay! Have you started your Huck Finn essay yet? Mine sucks… Are you excited that school's starting again in a couple of days, or are you sad (like me) ? Most everyone I've talked to is thrilled – WHY?


	23. Exhaustion

**A/N:** You guys hate me, I know. Especially Nimbirosa and Meg-chan (sniffle). So long without an update! My only defense is that high school started up again, and we all know how THAT goes. (mutter mutter grumble school sucks mutter grumble mutter) I apologize for the lateness and also for the lack of showing (as opposed to telling) in this chapter. Gomen, I'm a horrible writer.

However, my horoscope told me to wish on a star and focus on all the little things that make life wooooonderfuuuuuuul, so I am working as hard as I can on fanfiction, which is sometimes the only thing that keeps me going. (That, and fried dough. And cotton candy. And Mountain Dew – which now has a new flavor! WOOOOHOOOO! Yum. One of you mentioned that I talk about food in my stories a lot, and I will tell you that my mother is worried that I am too food-fixated.)

A lot of you mentioned that you feel the story is close to being wound up. I will tell you – yes, and no. Yes, because I now have the last paragraphs of the last chapter written (took me about two darned days), and no, because since about Chapter Twelve, I have been planning to continue this story throughout every Sailor Moon season. What think you of this, readers?

* * *

Subject to Change

Chapter Twenty-Three:

* * *

Ami dragged herself home at seven o'clock Sunday night with smarting, sluggish feet. Her muscles felt like they had been wrung out and hung up to dry after the mind-numbing, six-hour patrol she had done of the park.

She did not mind the physical discomfort as much as she minded the apathy that was slowly creeping over her, like clouds creeping across the sky before a thunderstorm. As she fruitlessly searched the park's vicinity for something she had no way to recognize even if she did find it, she had suddenly realized something.

She did not care anymore if they found the princess or not.

She just wanted it to be over. She just wanted to be able to go back to the days when all-nighters meant that she stayed up to cram for tests, not to fight youma and listen to a perpetually dissatisfied feline. She didn't care if they found the princess or not, she just wanted to be free. She wanted _life_.

For now, she was just an empty shell. When youma attacks whistled past her by mere centimeters, Ami did not see her life flash before her eyes She felt no fear, no dread of what was possible impending death. She only felt a horrible, empty apathy. Because what was there in life for her to miss if she were to die? She didn't even have a life anymore. She stayed up until the wee hours of the early morning to carry out Luna's searches for their missing monarch, caught two or three hours of sleep, woke up, hurriedly finished as much homework as she could on the subway ride to school, mechanically waded her way through classes and tests, hid in the library during lunch, endured more classes, went to meet Rei and Luna at the temple, searched for the princess some more, went home, and then the cycle repeated itself all over again.

Life was friends, life was laughter, life was belonging. Ami did not have any of these things. This truth was stamped as deeply nto her brain as was the quadratic formula, and it was stamped deeper every time she caught glimpses of Serena joking with Darien and his friends or bumping sides with the new girl – whom Luna still insisted was probably an enemy.

The message button was blinking on the phone when Ami entered the apartment. Glowing red in the darkness, it reminded Ami of Luna's cinnabar eyes, and she flinched away from it without noticing that she did.

She put a pot of water on the stove to boil for ramen, then reluctantly pressed the message button.

"You have two new messages. Message one."

"Ami." That strict, no-nonsense voice with the beeping and hum in the background was her mother, undoubtedly calling from the hospital. "Ami, it's two o'clock, I know you're home. Pick up." There was a pause. "Fine. I see you're in one of your moods. Well, Dr. Kitsude called in sick, so I'm covering the night shift. You're on your own for dinner. Goodbye."

"Message two."

"Mrs. Mizuno, this is Ihara Tutetsu from the Kuritusaru Juku calling. I would like to speak to you regarding Ami. Please call me back at your soonest possible convenience."

Ami paled and quickly deleted the two messages. The stove timer beeped, and she spooned some ramen into a bowl, then took it to her room with a bottle of mineral water from the fridge.

She set the frugal meal down on her study table and glanced across the tidy room at the neat stick on schoolbooks on her desk. A sigh escaped her, and she shuffled over to slide one of them out of the pile and return to her food with it. She slipped a notebook and pencil out of her bag to take notes, but something else fell out with them also.

Her communicator. She looked down at the pink calculator-like gadget, her bloodshot eyes drawn inexorably to the yellow crescent-shaped button at its top.

* * *

In Ami's mother's eyes, Ami's father could not have picked a better time to leave his family. Ami was mere weeks from turning five when her father packed up a suitcase and slipped out of the house as unobtrusively as a shadow, never to darken their door again. Small Ami had been napping when he left, and her mother returned from the hospital to find her sitting tousle-headed in the middle of the living room floor.

Dr. Mizuno immediately hired a babysitter, who was the closest thing Ami had to a parent for the next couple of weeks. Then Ami's fifth birthday rolled around, and Dr. Mizuno was able to ship her daughter off to the same boarding school her mother had attended as a child: a prestigious preparatory academy that sent children home only for the summer holidays.

Ami spent the next ten years of her life at that school, seeing her mother only a few weeks a year – and even then, she was usually absent from the house to work or meetings.

If Ami ever felt hurt by this – and she frequently did – she never mentioned it. She had always been a quiet child, and frequent scolding from her mother or babysitters to stop crying had conditioned her to internalize her emotions. Her mother was too busy saving people's lives to be bothered with such an insignificant thing as building a relationship with her daughter. As a younger child, Ami told herself that this was because her mother trusted her enough to develop into a polite, proper young lady without help, but as the years melted away, so did this illusion. Ami's mother did not spend time with her because she did not care about her. That was the cold hard truth.

But Ami tried to work past that. Many of the characters in her favorite novels had dysfunctional families like hers, but they found happy endings with friends who loved them.

The problem was that no one at school seemed particularly interested in being Ami's friend. Her dorm-mates had already paired off into their own cliques, and whenever Ami tried to contribute to their conversations, they gave her bizarre looks and walked away.

In attempts to ingratiate herself to one group of girls, Ami offered to help them with their homework. What she ended up doing was their homework.

But they allowed her to participate in their conversations after that, so Ami did not mind. She justified her action of doing their homework as the payment she owed them for being allowed to be their friend.

Several years passed in this way, until Ami was fifteen. It was a couple of weeks past her birthday on the day that she was poring over a tattered copy of Voltaire in the school library and she heard a loud, rambunctious group of people settle into a table on the other side of the aisle. Ami ignored them at first, until she recognized some voices and her own name being spoken by these voices.

"God, she's so ANNOOOOYING," dragged out her friend Vera. "She's always following us around like a hungry puppy hoping for food!"

"We've finally gotten a few hours free of her," pointed out another, Jamie sourly. "Why are you wasting our precious time away from Ami _complaining_ about her?"

"Jamie's totally right," agreed the third, Francesca. "What we should really be talking about is that hot new Latin teacher. I am SO taking his class next year."

"Who's going to do your homework for you?" asked Jamie skeptically. "Ami's been going on for years about how she can't wait to take French. She won't be able to do your Latin homework for you."

"Aw, I'll convince her to drop French and take Latin with me," said Francesca dismissively. "You know how eager Ami is to please."

Gales of laughter rang out at this last statement. Ami, neck and face flushing, scrambled to her feet and stumbled out of the library. Tears blurred her vision as she snatched up the student phone in the hallway and dialed her mother's number.

"Hello, this is Dr. Mizuno," began a cool voice.

"Mama!" Ami cried pitifully in her native Japanese, her nose running copiously as she pressed the phone tightly to her ear. "Mama, I want to come home!"

" – and I'm not home at the moment, please leave a message," finished her mother's calm tones.

Ami froze, mucus and tears dripping down her face. Slowly, it sank in – her mother was not home. And even if she was, Ami realized in her slightly more coherent state, she would refuse to let her come home.

Anguish washed over her in steady, unrelenting tides. Ami gripped the telephone tighter, unsure what to do. She couldn't – just _couldn't_ – stay here any longer.

Something strange happened then that Ami was unable to explain. As the shame and pain crashed over her again and again, her surroundings began to fade. Ami squeezed her eyes shut tight, thinking that she was about to faint, but she peeked out of them a minute later only to see her mother's apartment in Japan had coalesced around her.

Somehow, Ami had teleported herself from the boarding school to her mother's apartment.

Her mother did not believe her when Ami told her. She was already furious that Ami had shown up in the middle of the school year (she called the school and exchanged thinly veiled barbs with the headmistress for a good half hour), and Ami's insistence of an impossible event occurring simply made her angrier. Ami was sent immediately to her room, but her elation at being away from the prep school was so great that she did not care.

A few days later, Ami's mother enrolled her in the local high school on three conditions: that she keep her grades at a steady ninety-five percent average, that she attend juku every day after school, and that she manage her own household duties (like dinner, laundry, etc.) because Dr. Mizuno had no time to "baby her," as she put it.

Again, Ami had no problem with this; she was just thankful that she had not been sent back to Francesca, Vera, and Jamie. As she dressed for the first day of her new school, she made herself promise that no matter how desperately lonely she became or how desperately she wanted a friend, she would not allow them to take advantage of her.

With this determined resolution, Ami stepped into the halls of her new school with a wary expression and her arms wrapped tightly around her folders. A girl bumped into her and Ami smiled at her, but the girl made a face and flicked her off before pushing past her.

Ami's smile died. She kept her head down after that, her eyes on her feet as she navigated the crowded hallway to find her first class.

Which turned out to be an impossible task. Ami was forced to approach the kindest-looking person in the hallway – a beefy, bored-looking guy standing next to the door of Room 408 – for directions. He grunted when she phrased her question to him, then walked away.

Ami's lips trembled, but she tried again – tentatively. She asked a girl with an eyebrow piercing if she knew where to find Room 406, but the girl has headphones blasting in her ears and barely spared her a glance.

The bell rang, and students drained away until Ami was left standing alone in the hallway. An administrator appeared and barked at her for being late, sapping her with a detention before she could even speak. Then he glanced at her schedule and barked, "CLASS!" while pointing to the right. Ami immediately took off in that direction and found Room 406, which was OUTSIDE the hallway.

Classes were a blur of snickers, unfriendly or uninterested faces, and bored, unhelpful teachers. Lunch was spent perched on the very edge of a bench in the cafeteria, nibbling on her lettuce sandwich with her muscles tensed as she felt the nasty glances being directed her way by the girls whose table she had apparently invaded.

When Ami tried to explain her way out of detention after school that afternoon, she was threatened with a referral by the teacher on duty. She quickly and miserably retreated to a corner of the room and hid behind her trigonometry homework until detention was dismissed. At that time, she raced off the campus to juku just in time to catch the teacher locking the class door. After chewing Ami out for missing her first day, she gave her a diskette, which she said students were required to do all of their homework on, and rattld off that night's assignments for Ami.

Ami hurried home, then, to an empty apartment. As she stared around at the dim, lonely living space, the adrenaline drained from her body and she felt very sad and tired as she realized that if every day of school was like this, she would never last. She did not WANT to last if regular school was always like this.

One step at a time, Ami told herself. She turned on her laptop and then made herself a turkey sandwich. She opened up a game of Solitaire on her computer and played it as she ate. She became so engrossed by the game that she continued to play, even after her sandwich was gone, even after the sun had gone down, even after she heard the key scraping in the lock –

Then her mother was standing behind her and looking down at her computer screen. Ami hastily shut the laptop.

"Have you already completed your homework?"

Ami shook her head guiltily. "No, ma'am."

"Then why aren't you doing it?"

"I was…taking a breather, Mama."

"A breather that lasts until ten o'clock? Why don't you show me the homework you did before you took your breather?"

Ami's head drooped further. "I…Mama, today was just so horrible that…I…"

Dr. Mizuno's voice dropped by thirty degrees. "Go to your room."

Ami quickly gathered up her bags and books, scrambling towards her room. Her mother's voice reached her ears, muttering bitterly about her good-for-nothing father's genes showing up in her, and Ami hurried more quickly to her room and shut the door, tryign to escape the gut-wrenching words.

After an hour or so, Dr. Mizuno entered Ami's room. She held a glass of water and something else in her other hand.

"These," said Dr. Mizuno, opening her hand to reveal small white pills, "are a new form of antidepressants I would like you to try, Ami. A colleague of mine has been working on them – you remember Dr. Tomoe."

Ami backed away, hugging her history book close to her chest like a shield or teddy bear. "N-n-no thank you, Mama."

Her mother frowned. "I want you to try them, Ami. They will make you feel happier."

"I am happy, Mama. I don't need medicine."

"Yes, you do." Dr. Mizuno wore her most unwavering expression.

"No, Mama! Please!"

"Ami, you're taking them. I'm sick of people talking about how miserable my daughter looks. You're always crying or miserable when I talk to you, you refuse to go to the psychiatrist or the psychologist, and you don't have a single friend. I'm at my wits' ends with you."

"Mama, I promise I'll do better, I'll be happy! I'll make friends, I promise! If I don't, then you can make me take the pills! Okay? Okay?"

"You have two weeks," said Dr. Mizuno, walking to the door with the pills and water and shutting it behind her.

With trembling hands, Am returned to doing homework. The school homework had taken her no time at all, but the juku work was considerably more time-consuming. In addition, Ami's laptop seemed unwilling to accept the diskette despite all her attempts at reformatting. She finally gave up and did the work manually on paper, a knot of apprehension swelling in her stomach.

The next day of school started out no better than the first, though she was on time to her first class and did not receive a detention. Instead, someone stepped on her lunchbag and totally smushed and ruined its contents. Thus, when the final bell rang, Ami was desperate for sustenance. There was a half hour between the end of school and the start of juku, so she fled the campus to find some place selling food.

She nearly got run over by a car, she stepped in gum, and just when she thought her day could get no worse, a cat suddenly launched itself at her face with a blood-curdling yowl.

Ami tumbled backwards with a frightened grasp and tried to pry the creature off. After a moment later – though it seemed like an eternity – a pair of hands yanked the animal off of her.

"Crazy Odango, needs to keep an eye on her psycho pet – " muttered a voice.

Ami sat up with a gasp, face flushed and cheek stinging where the cat's claws had scratched her. "I – thank you," she gasped.

A black-haired boy stood in front of her, a writhing black cat pinned securely in his arms. He wore the navy blue blazer of Azabu High. He looked far too mature to be a high school student, though, with spectacles perched on his nose and a bored expression on his face. She reflexively shied away from him.

"You go to Azabu?" asked the youth. "Funny, I don't recall seeing you."

"I'm new," answered Ami quietly. "Ah – thank you for helping me out."

"It's no problem," said the guy. He turned and began walking away down the block. Over his shoulder, he threw her a "Nice to meet you."

Ami watched as he reached a corner and suddenly bounces backward, landing on his bottom, the cat still pinioned against his chest. Ami ran forward to help and saw that he had collided with a blonde girl, who wore her impossibly long hair in the most peculiar hairstyle Ami had ever seen.

"SHIELDS!" shrieked the girl, who was wearing a uniform identical to Ami's own. "Must you do this EVER DAY!"

"Oh, yeah, I really enjoy having a perpetually black and blue gluteus maximus!" retorted the boy – Shields? "Notice that it's always YOU who collides into ME, Odango!"

"I WOULDN'T if you weren't always in my WAY!"

"WHATEVER!" shouted the youth. He rolled up to his feet and yanked the girl to her feet also, then dumped the hissing cat into her arms. "Your stupid cat just attacked someone!"

"LUNA?" The girl's bright blue eyes widened reproachfully to the size of dinner plates, and she shook the cat. "How COULD you?"

Luna yowled and shot out of Serena's arms, leaping out of sight. The girl sighed, then her wandering eyes locked on Ami's. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, dashing over to her. "Are you okay? You're bleeding!"

"Yes, I…" Looking at the concerned eyes suddenly so close to her own, Ami couldn't bring herself to tell the girl that it had been her cat that had drawn the blood. "I'm just…"

"You look like you're about to faint," said the girl, slipping an arm about Ami's waist to support her. "Here, come with me, you look like you could use a milkshake! I'm Serena by the way. Hey, do you go to Azabu? I've never seen you! Are you the new girl? My friend Molly told me we had a new girl, but I missed school yesterday and I was late today – "

"As usual," inserted the dark-haired boy, who had followed them down the street and who Ami was beginning to think had to be either related to or romantically involved with this Serena girl.

" – so I didn't get to see you, and I've been dying to talk to you – so how have our first days at Azabu been?"

Ami smiled tentatively. "Passable."

"Really? I was sue you'd hate it. I mean, you came from that super-smart kid school, didn't you? I wish I was smart, my mom would be a lot happier and her blood pressure would probably be a lot lower, too – "

Serena's happy, mindless chatter continued all the way to the arcade that she led them to, and she pulled Ami into a booth with her, interrogating her about what classes eh liked best, which were the most boring, what kind of music she liked ("Tchaikovsky?" Serena repeated, wrinkling her nose. "Bless you!").

When Ami saw that it was time for juku to start, she wished that she did not have to leave so soon. No one in her whole life had ever paid as much attention to her as Serena had in the past twenty minutes.

But fear of her mother – and the threat of meds – drove Ami away, hurrying her out of the relaxed, comfortable conversation with Serena to the tense, jealous atmosphere of juku.

Ami entered school the next day with a slightly happier outlook. She knew someone now – Serena – but part of her still feared that the bubbly blonde had just been a mere apparition or figment of her imagination – or worse yet, someone who had been nice to her yesterday but today would ignore her and pretend that they had never met.

Distracted by these thoughts, Ami did not notice the slender tan leg jutting out into her path. She tripped over it, her books and papers flying out of her arms and onto the floor.

The owner of the leg, a tall, glossy-haired eleventh-grade cheerleader from Ami's trig class, laughed and kicked Ami's dropped calculator across the floor.

"Nerd!"

Ami lowered her head and dropped to her knees to pick up her things. Maybe things wouldn't be improving after all.

"Hey!"

Ami looked up at the indignant voice to see Serena stomping towards her.

Someone laughed. "Look at that, Serena's up before the bell rings? No way!"

"Ha ha," said Serena acerbically. "Too bad your jokes aren't as funny as your face."

The laughter died away abruptly. Serena squatted down beside Ami and looked up at the girl who had tripped her. "Could you please help us pick up Ami's things, Marisa-san?"

The cheerleader folded her arms, shifting from foot to foot and avoiding Serena's blue gaze.

"Please?" persisted Serena politely, handing Ami her pencil bag but not taking her eyes off Marisa's. "You accidentally kicked Ami's calculator all the way over there." The lightest emphasis could be heard on 'accidentally.' "Could you get it for us, pretty please? With sugar on top, and a cherry?"

Marisa did not move, still focusing on a spot above their heads. Then someone else shoved their way into the circle of people surrounding the three girls. Ami recognized him as the black-haired boy from the day before, along with the boy who had been working behind the counter at the café Serena took her to.

The cheerleader's expression changed immediately. "Oh my God, let me help you with that, Mizuno-san!" she gushed, bending down and sweeping Ami's stuff hurriedly into her bag all higgledy-piggledy.

"Wait, Marisa-san," said Serena sweetly. "You forgot Ami's calculator!"

The voice Serena used was warm and not at all accusatory. Ami felt a little jolt. Serena was treating the cheerleader like a friend.

There was no time to dwell over this, though. The bell rang, and everyone scattered to their respective classes.

Twelve hours later, Ami transformed into Sailor Mercury for the first time.

As she spent more time with Serena, Ami was able to tell herself that Serena's friendly speaking to the cheerleader had just been her natural forgivingness shining though. However, the little seed of doubt – that Serena was not as loyal a friend as she seemed – was planted in her mind. Watered by Luna's insistence that Sailor Moon had defected to the Dark Kingdom, the seed sprouted and spread.

* * *

Ami stared at the crescent-shaped button. Back when it had only been she and Sailor Moon fighting youma, she had cared about her life. She had been panicked and frantic in battles, desperate not to get killed because there were so many reasons to live, too many things that she would miss if she died. She would miss eating lunch with Serena and listening to Serena's stories about her crazy family and Serena's quiet sympathy when Ami spoke haltingly about her own mother. She would miss the unconditional acceptance Serena welcomed her with everyday, the way she didn't expect anything from her, the way she could spend hours with Serena in the arcade doing nothing but joking around, laughing, whispering over hot guys or squealing over cute outfits.

But Serena had never really meant it. The whole time, from Day One, she had been acting. None of it was real.

The communicator beeped, and a pale Rei appeared next to Mars' symbol, saying that Luna wanted them to check up on a potential princess.

Ami said that she would be at the temple in ten minutes and signed off. Then she sighed and shut her textbook.

What was the point?

* * *

Several days floated by without any attacks. This lack of Dark Kingdom activity was both relieving and nerve-wracking. Serena welcomed the absence of fighting, but felt queasy when she imagined what trouble the generals must be brewing while they bided their time. Was this to be the calm before the storm?

Darien thought so. Since he and Serena met up again at the park on Sunday afternoon, he had not let her out of sight once – well, except for necessities and classes, of course. Black smudges painted the skin beneath his bloodshot eyes, and he guzzled a liter of Mountain Dew every hour. Anyone other than Motoki, Lita, and Asanuma who came within a two-meter radius of Serena was speared with a bone-freezing glare.

Serena herself was little better rested than Darien was. The nightmares, as she had feared they would, continued in frequency and intensity, waking her up at least three times a night. Each time, she lay still in bed for a half hour afterwards flinching at every creak, rustle, or shift of shadow she saw or heard before she was able to fall asleep again.

Because she now closed her curtains every night to minimize the frightening shadows the moonlight threw across her bed, Darien was not aware of the continuing dreams. Serena did not inform him of them, either. She knew that he would have wanted to know about them, especially because they so closely resembled his dreams about the princess, but for some reason, she was loathe to share them with him.

Perhaps it was because in every dream, she could feel a salty liquid pouring out of her mouth.

The two exhausted teens soon fell into a routine. Serena's life felt sharply juxtaposed: during the day, she bounced about with her usual enthusiasm, laughing and chattering, hugging and skipping, but when darkness fell, she tossed and turned feverishly in her bed. She had begun to keep a glass full to the brim with water on her night side table so that when she woke up, she could try to rinse the salty taste from her mouth.

Darien's life, on the other hand, blurred into an endless cycle of exhaustion. During the day, he attended his classes and took careless notes that only half-penetrated his hazed brain. He was frequently late to classes because he followed Serena to make sure she reached her next class safely. (Luckily, his status as resident teachers' pet saved from detention for these tardies.) When the dismissal bell rang, he stalked beside Serena to the arcade, where he guzzled an average two pots of java while they whiled away the afternoon with a concerned Motoki, protective Lita, and overly exuberant Asanuma.

When they left the arcade, he walked her home, then returned to his perch in the tree beside her window, where he kept himself awake all night with the stock of Mountain Dew he had secreted in his Sub-Space pocket.

On Thursday morning, Serena woke up late. She yanked on her uniform and barreled down the stairs to root through the kitchen for some food. Finding the cupboards and refrigerator empty save for an eggplant, Serena was too hungry to run the draining dash to school. She settled instead for a stool to conserve energy and arrived at school half an hour late.

"I must admit, Serena, this is late even for you," observed Miss Haruna as she filled out Serena's detention slip. "And you look exhausted. Are you sure you wouldn't like to go to the nurse?"

"I'm sure," said Serena confidently, mustering a bright smile. "I just stayed up too late last night watching TV, Miss H.!"

"The History channel, I hope."

"What, and learn something?" Serena adopted a horrified expression, making Miss Haruna chuckle. "Do I LOOK like Melvin, Miss H.?"

"I had hoped that maybe Mr. Shields would have rubbed off on you, but I guess I as wrong," conceded Miss Haruna, handing Serena the detention slip. "Here you go. Now go sit down and stop disrupting my class, Miss Tsukino."

Serena bounded obediently over to her desk, plopping into her seat beside Lita. "Morning, Lita!" she whispered.

"I took notes for you," Lita muttered out of the side of her mouth, sliding a sheet of notebook paper over to Serena.

Serena looked down in dismay at the circle diagrams on the paper. "Oh, Lita, you

shouldn't have," she deadpanned.

"Jiminy Cricket forced me to do it."

"Yeah, yeah. Hey, check out what I brought!" Serena dug around in her backpack and pulled out a manga. "Fruits Basket number eleeeeeeveeeeen!"

"Awesome!" Lita took the precious comic reverently and gazed at it with adoring eyes. "Shigure, I love you…."

"Just don't drool on it," whispered Serena teasingly. She leaned over and slipped another comic book out of her backpack, then followed Lita's example, propping the manga between the pages of her geometry textbook.

They passed the rest of their morning classes quite happily like this until they had to split up for PE and Home Ec (Lita promised not to let any of the candied yams they were making in class that day get on the precious tome).

"Darien," began Serena as they headed out to the field after role call for yet more discus throwing. "Why are you so tired?"

She was answered by silence. Serena sighed and repeated the question more loudly.

"DARIEN!"

"Eh?" Darien jerked and flailed his arms around for a minute, a rose appearing in his hand. "Whassamatta?"

"WHY ARE YOU SO TIRED?"

Darien shook his head and focused bleary eyes on Serena. "… Because."

"Because what?" Serena shifted the heavy discus to her other hand. She hesitated for a moment, fingering the cool, tarnished metal. "Are you having dreams?"

In a moment, Darien was alert. His head snapped around to look at her. "Are you having dreams?"

Serena stumbled, startled by his sudden swing in demeanor. "Ah – no! It's just that you're so tired, I thought maybe you were dreaming about the princess…"

"No, no, no, I've been sleeping perfectly fine. Like a baby," Darien gabbled.

Serena stopped. She looked at him. "Liar! You have _not_ been sleeping!"

"No, I haven't," Darien conceded, realizing his mistake. "I've been…uh…on watch."

"For what?"

"The Dark Kingdom, what else?"

"Geez, you don't have to be so grumpy!"

"I'm not being grumpy!"

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are!" Serena stamped her foot. "You're taking a nap, right NOW!"

Darien's jaw dropped and he looked around. "What, in the grass?" he said sardonically.

"No, in my lap." Serena rolled her eyes sarcastically and crossed her arms. "Of course the grass! Or in the antbed if you want, it's your choice."

Darien eyed her.

Serena eyed him.

Darien narrowed his eyes at her.

Serena narrowed hers.

"Oh, fine!" Darien muttered, stomping past Serena to a patch of grass beneath a tree that blocked out the intense spring sun. "But if Coach catches us not throwing discus, I'm blaming you…"

"How honorable of you." Serena rolled her eyes.

Thus it was that PE, like Serena's morning classes, passed by quite peacefully – restfully, even. To Serena's delight, Darien began to snore as he slept, and she carefully tucked away that little piece of potential blackmail for later use.

Serena roused Darien awake a few minutes before Coach blew the whistle to go back to the locker rooms. Darien looked heaps better considering how short his nap had been – Serena wondered if maybe she hadn't imagined the dim golden glow beneath his skin after all. Was that another manifestation of his healing golden sparks (which he had told her about in their extensive conversation on Friday)?

* * *

"God, I thought Chemistry would never END," groaned Asanuma , stretching his arms up to the sky as he threw himself down on the grass at lunchtime. "I was so BORED...hey, have you ever noticed that the mole beside Mrs. Tameki's nose is shaped like a camel?"

Motoki spewed carrot juice. "Why were you LOOKING?"

"I told you, I was BORED!" repeated Asanuma, blinking as the orange liquid dripped down his face. He lifted his arms to wring his tie dry. "Lita, do you have a napkin, your boyfriend just had an accident all over me…"

Lita, who had just plopped down next to Motoki, lifted an eyebrow and looked at him. Motoki grinned goofily at her. She shook her head, ginning despite herself, and handed a napkin to Asanuma.

Numa gagged as he wiped his face dry. "You guys are disgusting…would you stop making googoo eyes?"

"You never complain when Darien and Serena do it," said Motoki, still grinning dreamily at a sheepishly blushing Lita.

"That's because they don't KNOW they're doing it," said Asanuma, turning his back on them. "Geeze – SERENA-CHAN!" He leapt forward and launched himself at Serena, who was skipping towards them. "I MISSED YOOOOOUUUU!"

"But you saw me in PE," said Serena, blinking in befuzzlement, voice muffled by Asanuma's shoulder. "Like…an hour ago."

"Every hour apart from dear Serena-chan is like a year!" proclaimed Asanuma passionately. "But hark! Where is your lover, Serena-chan? Wherefore art thou, Dare-Bear – ack!"

"Dare-Bear is feeling _beary _grumpy," growled Darien, his arm locked around Asanuma's neck from behind. "So don't. Push. His. Buttons. Comprende?"

"Ooh," croaked Asanuma. "You're speaking Spanish! That's sexy, Dare-Bear – "

"ARGH! Get away from me!" shouted Darien in a panic, quickly jumping away from Asanuma.

Asanuma smiled brightly and rubbed his neck. "The 's' word always does the trick."

"I think you should try to get some more sleep," Serena told Darien seriously, in a low voice that the other could not hear.

Darien nodded in agreement, rubbing his eyes. "You'll wake me up?"

"Uh-huh." Serena nodded, then a mischievous glint entered her eyes. "Would you like to be awoken by a scream or by a kiss, sir?"

"Ha ha." Darien glowered. "You better eat a breath mint before you even think about kissing me."

"You better go to sleep before I just decide it's easier to knock you out," retorted Serena.

"Which would be easy for her to do." Asanuma stated suddenly, thrusting his head between the two teenagers, who shouted in surprise. "Because Serena is a knockout, you know, Dare-Bear."

"On Jupiter, maybe." Darien rolled his eyes.

"Are you hungry, Shields?" asked Serena sweetly, shoving her balled-up hand in his face. "Because you're going to be eating my fist in about two seconds – "

"That won't fill me up much," retorted Darien. "Skin, bones, and empty threats, that's all you are, Odango – "

"OOOH!" huffed Serena. "I'll tell you what you are, you big fat grumpy jerkwad – "

After the initial sweatdropping, Motoki smiled, relieved that Darien seemed to have come alive from the walking zombie he had been the past couple of days. Lita shook her head and unwrapped her bento, and Asanuma rubbed his hands together gleefully as Serena and Darien continued to bait each other.

"Did you get the grade on your history test back today?" Lita asked Motoki, unwrapping her bento.

"Yup!" Motoki beamed. "A ninety two!"

"Great!" Lita slugged him in the arm. "I was about to go beat up that teacher if you didn't get an A, you spent so much darned time studying for it."

"Yeah, that would do wonders for my male pride." Motoki elbowed her and pulled a cola out of his backpack, handing it to her. She popped it open and took a sip, green eyes focused fondly on him above the rim. "What about you? Anything interesting happen today?"

"Someone's sweet potato exploded in Home Ec, but that wasn't as interesting as this." Lita tilted her head towards their three friends, her lips curving.

Motoki turned to look. Asanuma was slapping Serena a high five for some particularly stinging insult that she must have just slapped Darien with, for Darien was looking particularly disgruntled. He said disdainfully, "At least I don't still sleep with a teddy bear."

Serena's face went red, not in embarrassment but in indignation. Lita and Motoki snatched the opportunity: Lita stuffed a squid into Serena's mouth before she could explode at Darien, and Motoki slapped a hand over Darien's mouth and stuffed a Mountain Dew into his hands.

Asanuma applauded enthusiastically. "Executed like a married couple stuffing pacifiers into their children's mouths!"

He received dirty looks from all four of them, and Serena quickly swallowed the scrumptious squid.

"It's not a teddy bear, it's a bunny rabbit!" she said indignantly.

Eyebrows flew up. Darien peeled Motoki's hand from his face and smirked. "Whatever. It's a stuffed animal, and you still sleep with it."

"Wait a second, Dare-Bear," interrupted Asanuma, eyes twinkling with that devilish light they all knew to fear. "How do you know what Serena sleeps with, anyway?"

Serena frowned, thinking hard. "Yeah, how DO you know?"

Darien opened and closed his mouth like a fish. "I – hmm – well – it's not what you think – I – I just figured you would sleep with a teddy bear! Since you're such a _baby_, Odango!"

"Ooooh," Asanuma sang. "Dare-Bear called Serena-chan _babyyyy_…" Asanuma gave the word a much more intimate inflection than Darien had.

"Speaking of immaturity," muttered Lita. "Serena, you need to get a move on, girl, the bell's gonna ring soon."

Serena, grateful for an excuse to escape the awkward silence that had fallen on them while Darien was throttling Asanuma, hurriedly dug into the squid. "This is super-yummy, Lita-chan! You're the best cook EVER!"

"Hey! What am I, diced garlic?" Motoki made a pouty face.

Lita laughed at him. "Your breath sure smells like it!"

"Does it, really?" Motoki said worriedly, huffing into his hand and sniffing. "It does NOT! You were pulling my leg!" He glared at her.

"What an I say? You're cute when you're worried."

"Am I?" Motoki leaned toward her, and Serena quickly turned around before she could see what he did next. That was a private moment, she figured. Plus, there was an equally entertaining show on the other side – she had turned just in time to see Asanuma make a flying tackle on Darien.

"GERONIMOOOO!" Asanuma howled, plowing Darien into the ground. They tussled in the grass for a minute.

"EW! That is so GROSS!" exclaimed a freshman girl who happened to be walking past with her friends. "Get a ROOM!"

Asanuma and Darien stopped wrestling and looked up. Asanuma was on top of Darien, his knees digging into the dark-haired youth's chest, one hand clenching a handful of Darien's hair and the other yanking his school tie. A blue-faced Darien had Asanuma by the collar – it rather looked as though he were pulling him down for a nice slobbery smooch.

Asanuma flashed a dazzling smile at the freshman. "Only if you come with us!"

"EEEEEEEWWWWWW!" The girls shrieked and ran.

Asanuma sighed and hung his head. "Even the FRESHIES are repulsed by me!"

"They're creeped out by you," corrected Darien sourly, shoving Asanuma off of him. "And I don't blame them." He sat up and began to brush himself off, then looked down as something moist and slimy came off on his hand. "What the hell!" His blazer was spattered with little pink chunks.

"What IS this stuff?" Asanuma exclaimed, jumping up as he saw the stuff covering his uniform, too.

They heard breathless laughter and turned to see Serena curled up in a ball on the grass, clutching her sides. A tray of squid – PINK squid – sat docilely beside her.

"Odango, tell me you didn't spray shrimp all over us," said Darien in a long-suffering voice.

Serena paused laughing long enough to gasp, "I…didn't…spray shrimp…on you!"

"How many times do I have to tell you that you suck at lying?"

"You…told me…to do it!" gasped Serena. She inhaled deeply, trying to calm down. "Oh…wow. WOW!" She took another deep breath, still grinning broadly. "That was funny."

"So's your face," returned Darien sourly. "Now I have to walk around without my coat!"

"So?" said Serena, watching him shrug off his blazer. "It's hot, anyways, you must have been sweltering in that thing…oh."

"Whoah." Asanuma blinked. He squid he had been chewing on fell out of his mouth. This was the first time he had seen Darien in the school regulation white uniform shirt without his jacket on. He whistled. "Dare-Bear, my man, the ladies are going to be all OVER you!"

Serena nodded in wide-eyed agreement. She had thought Darien looked sharp in his school uniform with the blazer, but without it…he cut quite the dashing figure. Slim and wiry-muscled.

Darien groaned. "Exactly! There's enough of them asking me to go to Spring Fling with them as it is!"

"ARE you going to Spring Fling?" asked Asanuma curiously.

Darien shot him a rather uncertain look. He had expected Asanuma to clam up at the mention of the prom, but he certainly wasn't going to complain that he hadn't. "Of course not. Are _you_?" he asked meaningfully.

"Yeah. I have to play DJ," said Asanuma unhappily. "I told Mr. Ongaku I'd do it months ago. What about you, Serena-chan, are you going?"

"Huh? Me? Nope."

"You're NOT?" Surprise was clearly written on both boys' faces. "Why?"

Serena shrugged airily. "I just don't feel like it."

"It's…not because of last year, is it?" asked Darien, guilt slightly coloring his voice.

"Oh, no!" Serena shook her head vigorously. "I just don't see any reason to go, you know? It's not like I'd do anything there. I might as well stay home and watch Lifetime or something. That'll satisfy my thirst for romance more than the dance would."

"You're right about that," agreed Asanuma wistfully. "Wish I could join you."

"We'll have a Lifetime marathon some time, Numa," promised Serena. "Just you and me."

"It's a date!" Asanuma hooked his arm through Serena and winked at Darien. "Watch out, Dare-Bear, you've got competition!"

"Ooh, I'm worried." Darien rolled his eyes.

The bell rang shrilly. Asanuma grumbled under his breath and moved away from Serena to pick up his things.

Darien handed Serena her things, and they headed towards Study Hall after bidding the others good-bye. Darien walked slightly behind Serena, and Serena did not fail to notice.

'If you're trying to hide behind me, I don't think it's working," she muttered at him. "I've seen about ten girls drool already."

"This is all your fault, you know," griped Darien. "If you hadn't gotten shrimp all over my blazer…"

"If you and Asanuma hasn't been rolling around in the grass, you mean," retorted Serena.

They entered the classroom.

"Miss Tsukino," called the teacher from his desk, not looking up from the papers he was grading. "I have your graded math test from yesterday. You'll need to take it home to be signed by your parents."

"Oh, goody," sighed Serena, taking the paper (which wore a big fat red F on its front) from him. "Thank you, Mr. Kumitate."

"Wha'd you get?" Darien looked down at her from where he stood next to his desk, folding his jacket.

"What else? An F." Serena dumped her stuff down next to Darien's and plopped down.

"Why didn't you study? I thought you understood how to do the area formulas, I showed them to you yesterday."

"I _did_," said Serena frustratedly. "It was just…I didn't get a lot of sleep that night, so I was really tired and I couldn't remember anything…"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you sleep?"

Serena looked up at his question. "I…I don't know. Is there ever a reason you can't get to sleep? Or an, for that matter?" She put a hand to her mouth and giggled.

"Serena. You. Can't. Lie."

Serena's shoulders slumped. She lay her head on her desktop, staring mournfully up at him. "That's not faaaaaaiiiir, Darien! Can't you just let me get away with it for once?"

"I did, and you ended up with Malachite's sword at your throat."

"That was just one time!"

"One time was enough for me." Darien placed an elbow on the desktop and leaned his cheek on his hand to watch her. "I'm rather hurt that you lie to me so often, Odango. Don't you trust me?"

Serena rolled her eyes. "Duh. Of COURSE I do. You're just fishing for compliments."

Darien tried valiantly to hide his grin, but failed. His eyes danced. "You know me too well."

"I'll say." Serena made a face at him and yanked out her geometry book. "Hey, Darien, help me with this?"

"Of course, Odango," drawled Darien, scooting his desk over to hers and leaning towards her so that his chin brushed her hair. "On one condition."

Serena gave him a suspicious look and poked him with her pencil, making him back off. "What's that?"

Darien parried her pencil with one of his own, smirking. "You have to tell me why you couldn't sleep. _Truthfully_."

Serena's eyes fell. Now, instead of looking at him, she was staring at her shoes.

After a moment, she shrugged. "Bad dreams."

"About what?" he prompted gently, staring at her bangs with bated breath. Was it possible that they were having the same dreams? "Her? The princess? Is she telling you to find the crystal?"

Serena was nodding vigorously in affirmation, though she still was not looking up. "Yes. Yes. He wants me to find the crystal for her."

"HE?"

Serena's nods continued. "Yeah. It's a guy's voice, and it's all foggy, I can't see who it belongs to, but he tells me I have to find the crystal." _He says other things, too, but I'm not telling you them… _

"What else happens?" Darien breathed. What could this mean? Why was a man's voice telling Serena to find the crystal?

Serena, meanwhile, was panicking. Dare she tell him that she could feel herself dying in the dreams? That something salty and warm flowed out of her mouth while she screamed to the man?

No. No, he couldn't know, he was already worried enough about her as it was, she didn't want to burden him further.

Besides, it was just a dream.

_Just a dream. That's all it was, Serena. Stop making such a big deal out of it._

_I'm NOT! He's the one who brought it up!_

_You're the one who's practically hyperventilating!_

"Serena, what else happens?"

"Nothing! Nothing else!" Serena squeaked. "Um – who do you think the voice belongs to, Darien? Do you think the princess is a man now?"

This question threw Daren for a a curve. "A MAN?" he repeated incredulously. "Uh…no, I don't think so. It must be someone else, maybe a male Senshi."

"Or someone else like you," murmured Serena thoughtfully.

"Like me?" Darien's brows knit. "Someone else who wears a tuxedo and throws flowers around?"

"Yeah. Think about it, we don't know why you can transform and everything. Maybe you're, like, a male Senshi, or some other sort of guardian. Like…you can feel ever time I transform, right? Maybe there's someone like that for the princess! And he's there to protect her and stuff, so he wants me to find the crystal so that she won't be in so much danger!" Serena was gesticulating, becoming more and more impassioned by her idea.

One of her waving hands hit him in the nose. He grabbed it.

"Odango, you're crazy."

Serena's other hand fell back into her lap and she gave him a smile, the memories of her nightmare safely pushed to the back of her mind. "You just don't want anyone stealing your job as the only tuxedo-wearing superhero in Tokyo."

* * *

The bell rang for dismissal. Darien's trig teacher asked him to stay a little later so that he could speak with him. Darien had an idea what was coming, and he was not mistaken. Mr. Hamtaro (yes, that's right, Hamtaro) wanted to discuss his grades.

More specifically, why his grades were dipping.

Darien tapped his foot impatiently as the short, bald man gave him the "we're concerned about your welfare and also what this laxness could do to your college opportunities" lecture. Well, h was concerned about Serena's welfare right now, and if he did not keep a close eye on her, no one would ever have to worry about college, seeing as how the Dark Kingdom would rule everything…

"Look, I appreciate your concern, Mr. Hamtaro, but I've really got to go. I'll work on bringng my grade back up, I promise."

With that, Darien ran out of the classroom, heading to their usual meeting spot at the front of the school. When he reached it, however, only Motoki was there.

"Where is everyone?" Darien questioned, eyes darting around.

Motoki shook him by the shoulder. "Calm DOWN, Dare. Don't have a cardiac arrest on me."

"Where is everyone?" Darien demanded again, shrugging off Motoki's hand.

"Numa's got detention, remember?" Motoki set off down the sidewalk. "And Leets already went to the arcade – "

_And where Lita goes, Serena goes._ Darien cursed mentally and seized Motoki by the backpack strap. "Come on, then!" He broke into a sprint, dragging Motoki after him.

When they burst into the arcade and found Lita walking Buji through his long division homework, but no Serena, Darien almost burst a capillary. He pivoted to dash back to school and track her down, but then there was a deafening shattering sound as a body crashed through one of the arcade windows. The lights flickered and died, screams rang out, and Darien was thrown backward by an invisible force.

And that was when it all hit the fan.

* * *

"Rei?" Ami's voice held surprise as she looked up from her psychology book to see the black-haired priestess standing on the sidewalk in front of her. "What are you doing here?"

Hope was slowly but surely joining the surprise in Ami's voice. Had Rei come to walk home from school with her, like she and Serena used to do? Maybe Rei wanted to go shopping or get a snack –

But the hope vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Ami's eyes caught the way Rei was glancing surreptitiously around, fiddling with her silky black hair and smoothing her skirt.

Ami sighed. "Rei?"

Rei's eyes snapped back to her. "Oh! Well, I happened to be in the neighborhood, and I thought, hey, why don't I pick Ami up from school since we're both going to meet Luna at the temple anyways…" Her voice trailed off as she spotted something. Her lips parted, then compressed, and she grabbed Ami by the sleeve. Her demeanor was suddenly angry. "Never mind. Come on, we're going to be late."

"But...I…Rei, I don't mind if you want to stay and look for Asanuma – actually, he would probably be at the arcade with – with – well, you know who – at this time of day."

"I don't care about him!" Rei spat out. "God, Ami, I told you, I just came to get you!"

Ami visibly shrank. "Of course, I'm sorry, Rei…"

They walked in silence for about ten minutes, then –

"Girls!"

Both dark heads jerked up. A small black cat perched on the wall beside them.

"There's a youma at the park," hissed Luna tensely. "You have to go kill it – "

Her command was cut off by the sound of a scream. They wheeled about, and Ami's keen eyes quickly discerned that its origin had been the supermarket across the street – a woman had just been thrown through the sliding glass doors.

Ami gasped in horror. Rei cursed fluently.

"I'll get the park!" the miko decided swiftly, grabbing Ami and shoving her towards the supermarket. "You keep this one busy – I'll come back as soon as I can!"

Luna watched her two protégés run off. Then her tail suddenly shot up, her hackles rising. She hissed and bounded down the street, towards the infamous Crown Arcade.

Something big was about to happen.

* * *

Serena had once considered the detention hall to be her third home (the first being her house and the second being the arcade, of course). Now, re-entering it again for the first time in days, was like arriving in a foreign country. Sure, the faces were all familiar, and the greetings they threw her way were welcoming enough ("Yo, Serena, whassup?" "Hey, gal, where you been? We missed you!"). But it seemed like a thousand years ago that she had spent her afternoons in here reading manga and wondering idly when the next time she might fight a youma would be.

Serena sat down in a desk near the window and propped her elbows on the desktop, blowing out her lips. She had finished her manga this morning already. She had homework, but she wasn't in the mood to wrestle with _1/3bh_ whatever it was. Maybe if Darien were here to help her, but she couldn't tackle it on her own.

"I wish Darien _were_ here," Serena mumbled to herself. _I wouldn't be so bored…_

"Could you say that again so I could get that on tape?"

Serena blanched, looking up. Her features relaxed as Asanuma settled himself on her desktop, legs crossed Indian-style. She sighed in relief. "You scared me, Numa!"

"What, did you think I was the big, grumpy Dare-Bear?"

"Yeeeeeees…."

"Don't worry, I won't tell him what you said. Teeheehee." Asanuma uncrossed his legs and swung them back and forth, leaning back on his arms. "Hey, I didn't know you had detention today, Serena-chan. Wha'd you do?"

"The same thing I always do. Slept right though my alarm." Serena smiled at him curiously. "What about you, Numa? I've never seen you in detention before.

"Aw, I just got in a little disagreement." Asanuma shrugged, still smiling blandly. (Think Yamazaki from Cardcaptor Sakura.)

"Over what?" Serena frowned; who could possibly have fought with Asanuma? He was so agreeable – well, except when he was coming on to you, but still –

"Stuff." Asanuma continued to swing his legs, staring into space.

"Like?" prompted Serena.

"Nothing important."

"Okay." Serena subsided. If Asanuma did not want to tell her she would not force him.

"Well, well, well, what have we got here? Tsukino and Shields' best friend in detention together? Hmmm…."

Serena and Asanuma turned around curiously to come nose-to-nose with Coach Etoukou.

"AHHHH!" Serena flailed around and fell out of her seat to the floor. _No way! Why can't I ever get detention on the days NORMAL teachers are on duty! _"Coach!"

"Does Shields know about this?" demanded Coach, planting his fists on his hips.

"Not if you don't tell him," said Asanuma slyly.

Coach Etoukou's eyes bulged so far out that his sunglasses were pushed off his nose. "I KNEW IT!"

"Asanuma! Stop lying!" Serena scrambled to her feet. "Coach, it's not what it looks like – wait." She paused, frowning. _Why am I trying to convince Coach that I'm not cheating on Darien when I don't even like him like that?_

"What Serena-chan means is that Darien had other things to attend to today, so he wanted me to watch over his Dumpling Head over him," said Asanuma, straight-faced. "That's all, Coach. He knew he could trust me with Serena because I don't swing that way."

Both Coach and Serena stared at Asanuma. Then Coach shook his head and walked away, muttering something about needing to see the psychology teacher.

"Man, I am GOOD!" Asanuma preened. "Aren't you going to thank me for getting him off our backs, Serena-chan?"

"Um…thank you, Asanuma-kun." Serena settled back into her seat and stared out the window as Asanuma began to hum to himself and swing his legs again.

A flash of blue caught her eye. She caught her breath and leaned forward. There, just outside the school gate, was Ami! And Rei was with her!

As the humming beside her suddenly silenced, Serena knew that Asanuma had seen the same thing she had. She peeked up at him. "This window has such a nice view, doesn't it, Numa?"

Asanuma looked down at her, cheeks pink under his tan. His jaw was set. "I – don't know what you're babbling about, Serena-chan." He forced a laugh and ruffled her hair, then stood and walked over to an empty desk and sat down.

Serena, heart heavy, turned back to the window. Rei's violet eyes, now directed upwards, locked with hers. They told Serena that she was mad enough to kill, and Serena was suddenly grateful that she was on the third floor.

Then Rei tore her glare from Serena and grabbed Ami by the arm. They headed quickly down the sidewalk and out of sight.

Serena turned away from the window. Coach was hidden behind a _Weight Lifters Weekly_ magazine at the desk, and Asanuma was sitting in his desk and glaring at –

At Seiko!

Serena sat up straight in her seat, narrowing her eyes. Yes, that was Seiko, and he had a swollen lip and bruised cheek that suggested he had been a fight. But with who? Not Asanuma?

Serena's incredulity was cut off by a sudden flare of shock and fear. She froze in her seat as the emotions crashed over her – they were not hers. Rather, they tasted fierce and exasperated, a flavor that she immediately associated with Darien – or Tuxedo Mask.

She remembered a conversation they had had on Sunday.

_"How did you even know where I was?" Serena wanted to know. "I didn't tell anyone that I was going to the temple!"_

_"Airhead. Didn't I tell you that I can feel every time you transform?"_

_Serna's mouth closed, her sky-colored eyes darkening stormily. "I wish you didn't – "_

_"Stop, Odango," said Darien tiredly. "I told you it's not your fault, it's better this way, so I can keep an eye on you because God knows you never spare a thought for yourself."_

_Serena silenced instantly, ashamed._

_Darien noticed and rubbed his forehead. "God, Odango, you know I didn't mean it like that!" he cried exasperatedly. "That's a god thing, really, just – you know, it makes me mad sometimes that you can't ever put yourself first, even just once…"_

_"What does it feel like?" Serena changed the subject, and Darien was grateful. He never was good at reassuring her. Or so he believed, anyways._

_"What does what feel like?"_

_"Me transforming."_

_Darien had not expected this question. He grimaced thoughtfully. "It's…well, I guess it's not so much that I can feel you actually transforming, it's more that I can feel emotions. At first I didn't know that they were your emotions, but I knew that they weren't mine. After the first couple of times I watched you in battles, though, I knew they had to be yours. They tasted like you."_

_Darien had grinned then, and quickly added, "Not like that, of course, but like…it's like the feelings have a flavor or something, so I know they're not mine. Yours always taste frightened."_

_Serena smiled shamefacedly. "That's definitely me."_

_"Maybe, but there's other stuff, too. Like – there's always concern. You're worried about the people who might get hut by the youma, and – and this is what makes me mad – you always taste guilty."_

This, then, had to mean that Darien was transforming into Tuxedo Mask, and Serena was feeling it the way he had always felt her.

Which meant that there was a battle starting.

Which meant that she had to go.

Now.

Serena scrambled over her desk to the front of the room, snatching her bag as she went. "Coach, Coach, Coach!" she chanted frantically, skidding to a stop in front of his desk. "I've really got to go right now, there's an emergency – "

"Sit your rear end down, Tsukino, no one's going anywhere until detention's over." Coach Etoukou lazily turned the page in his magazine from Bun-Steelers to Pec-Pumpers.

Serena jumped up and down. The adrenaline she cold feel pumping through Darien's body was making her jittery. "But Coach!"

"Butt is right. BUTT IN THE DESK, TSUKINO!"

"But COOOOOOAAACH!" wailed Serena desperately. "Please, I really need to leave, I'll do ANYTHING – "

"Anything?"

"ANYTHING!"

"Can I get your signature on that?" Coach eyed her suspiciously and held out a pen and a sheet of paper.

Serena snatched the pen and hastily scrawled out her signature (forgoing the cute bunny ears she usually drew above it) without even reading the words on the paper. "There! Can I go?"

"Be my guest, Tsukino!"

Serena zoomed on out of there like Herbie the Love Bug on speed. Coach Etoukou chuckled evilly and tucked the signed paper into his fannypack.

* * *

Serena did her best to follow the tugging, thread-like sensation in her chest. It was extremely difficult to do because she had no idea whether an increase in the tautness of the invisible thread meant that she was getting closer or that she was getting farther. Her mind went back to the conversation.

_"So you felt me transforming. Did you just guess that I was at the temple?"_

_  
"No, there's this feeling in my ribcage…" Darien tapped his chest thoughtfully. "It's kind of like a rope tied to my organs or something, and it pulls on me to get me to go where you are." He frowned. "But it's really hard to find you like that. I finally figured out that I could grab the rope and hold it and follow it, kind of like a game of tug-of-war. You get what I mean?"_

_"Does that mean the rope's really there?" asked Serena eagerly._

_"I don't know. When I want it to be, it is, I guess."_

Serena passed her hands slowly through the air in front of her, looking for the thread. She could have sworn she felt something feathery brush her hands once, but then there was nothing. She "uuuuuurgh!" ed and squeezed her eyes shut tight. Maybe if she was not looking for the string, it would be there.

This method worked better. Serena's seeking fingers closed around something very thin and silken. She ran a fingertip experimentally across it once or twice, and the emotions she was picking up from Darien intensified. Tamped-down panic, fury, sweat trickling down his forehead.

She began to follow the thread, hand over hand over hand over hand. It was slow work, and she bashed into several light poles before the sounds of a youma battle finally reached her ears. She opened her eyes. The thread fell from her fingers.

She stood across the street from the Crown Arcade. One of its window as completely shattered, and several people were trying to scramble their way out of it, while others lay unconscious and bloody outside it. As Serena watched, several roses sailed out of the window and plunged into the sidewalk, having clearly missed their intended target.

Serena let out a cry as she recognized one of the motionless humans on the sidewalk.

"Buji!" She rushed to his side.

"Onee...chan?" Buji's eyes struggled to open, but his pupils and irises moved sluggishly. Blood trickled from a cut beneath his shock of dark hair. "Onee-chan…"

"Shhh. You'll be okay." Serena bit her lip and smoothed the sweaty hair back from his face.

A cry attracted Serena's attention. She twisted as she stood, and ran to help the little girl who was attempting to climb over the jagged window to get out of the arcade. Her older sister was trying valiantly to lift her over, but she bled from a deep cut on her arm, and it trembled too violently to get the little girl safely outside. Serena lifted her carefully and set her on the sidewalk, then reached for the girl's sister.

Before she could even grab her hand, however, light flashed from inside the dark interior of the arcade. A tentacle lashed out of nowhere, wrapped around the girl, and yanked her into the darkness.

Serena shouted and scrambled in after her, disregarding the glass. She blinked frantically as her pupils struggled to adjust to the dimness from the bright sun of outside.

Dim shapes huddled all around, crouched beneath overturned table and chairs. Whimpers and whispers could be heard, and shushing noises. And also the whistle of roses slicing through the air, and the grunts of combat.

Serena headed toward those, only stopping to grab the flashlight she knew Motoki kept near Table Four.

* * *

Lita could not believe what was happening. She went to the arcade to do a good deed – help a sweet little third-grader with his homework – and a youma and two weirdly-dressed "Generals" decide to crash in and hurl _her _ototo-chan out the window?

That had made her _angry_. She had gone Bruce Banner on them.

And now she was using jujitsu on four of the youma thing's tentacles while the other four grabbed people, sucked their energy, and threw them carelessly out the window like piece of trash. She could hear the sounds of battle between the generals and the fruity masked guy, who had materialized seemingly from nowhere a while ago, after Motoki had been knocked out.

As Lita thought of this, fury flooded her veins afresh. Instead of just kicking the youma's tentacle this time, she seized it and sank her teeth into it, crushing and grinding with her molars as hard as she could. Goo squirted out and coated the inside of her mouth, but she just champed down harder.

The youma let out a watery howl, and Lita suddenly found all eight of its slimy appendages lashing at her. She clawed and bit and scratched and kicked and punched and chopped ferociously.

Then, suddenly, the youma froze. Lita snatched the opportunity and got a better grip on the tentacle she held, twisting it around and around until she heard it crack. It flopped limp in her hand, and she turned her attention to the light that had suddenly lit to the right, near the counter. From the corner of her eye, she saw the light glinting off the blades that the masked man and one of the generals held.

Her jaw dropped open. The light was coming from a flashlight that was being held by a ragged Serena.

Lita dropped the youma tentacle and ran for Serena's life.

The youma, adjusting from its shock at the light, recovered itself, and its tentacles sped after her.

* * *

"_GET HER!"_ screamed Zoicite to Malachite, who had been reluctantly sorting through the crumpled, unconscious bodies at the front of the arcade in order to find Sailor Moon (she supposedly frequented this establishment). "_THERE SHE IS! GET HER!"_

The general's words were nearly drowned out by the sudden clash of metal as Tuxedo Mask's cane-blade slashed down on her crystalline sword. It splintered with a tinkle of glass, spraying across Tuxedo Mask's face. He lifted an am to protect his face; Malachite, following an inexplicable urge that suddenly swept over him, threw up a shield in front of the masked superhero.

The shield lasted only a fraction of a second, for then pain shot into Malachite. Beryl clawed her way into his brain, screaming, "_Betray me, and she dies!" _He yanked the shield back out of existence.

But that fraction of a second was enough for Tuxedo Mask. He used it to smash his head into Zoicite's face. There was a crunching sound, and blood spurted outwards. Zoicite stumbled back, clutching it, only to be punched in the side of the face by Lita's sailing fist.

But bad things comes in threes, and quickly following Lita was one of the youma's lethal tentacles. It now slapped into Zoicite's face with the force of a leather belt. More blood, black blood, sprayed outwards.

Tuxedo Mask grabbed the opportunity now to race for Serena, who stood staring at the carnage.

But Zoicite, in all her seemingly blind stumbling, reached the blonde first. She reached an arm around her neck and dragged her up tight against her body while removing her gloved hand from her face. Revealed was a bit of white skull poking out of bloody flesh, along with a streaming eyeball.

Serena shuddered as something whitish and runny dripped through her hair and dribbled down her cheek. Growls erupted from both Tuxedo Mask and Lita. The flashlight dropped from Serena's hands and clattered to the floor. Zoicite squinted against the glare.

"Let her go!" thundered Lita, lunging forward. Tuxedo Mask snatched her back as Zoicite sent a huge crystal spike shooting at the Amazoness.

"You wanna get her killed?" he snarled, eyes still on Serena. Damn, she couldn't reach her brooch; Zoicite had pinioned her arms behind her. What was WITH that witch and having her arms around Serena's throat every damned time she saw her?

Footsteps pattered; then the flashlight was picked up. Malachite directed the beam away from his ally. "Zoicite, Tentacula has gathered more than the minimum amount o energy Beryl – "

"_Queen Beryl_," hissed Zoicite.

" – required, we can leave now."

"_Leave when I have the moon brat in my clutches?_" A smirk curved Zoicite's lips. "_I think not. I hope that you are not thinking of reneging on our bargain, General._"

Malachite's fists clenched. "No," he gritted out.

Tuxedo Mask, watching this bizarre exchange intently, gradually became aware of a glow that was not coming from the flashlight. For one thing, it was green.

He glanced around and found, to his shock, that the glow was coming from Lita's forehead – more precisely, a symbol glowing on Lita's forehead beneath her bangs. It was the symbol of Jupiter.

Tuxedo Mask said a very bad word. Lita, her fists clenched, spun away from her desperate staring at Serena to look at him. At the same time, Serena suddenly let out a cry – she had just felt something brush past her ankles, furry like a rat.

Two seconds later, Tuxedo Mask felt the same thing, and then Lita let out a string of oaths as claws dug into her shoulder. Something cylindrical and cold dropped into her hand, and static crackled up her arm, carrying awareness to her brain.

Without thought, the holler tore out of her vocal cords, "JUPITER _POWER_!"

Green light shot outwards like a supernova, blinding everyone within a twenty-meter radius. A deafening thunder clap rocks the arcade's foundations, throwing Tuxedo Mask and the generals to their knees.

Even before the light fades or the thunder dies away, a bolt of pure electricity sizzled past Tuxedo Mask into the youma. It shrieks as its flesh crackles and bubbles.

Tuxedo Mask's cane materialized in his hand to be plunged into the youma, but suddenly a shield – the very same sort that protected him Zoicite's shattered sword – shimmered into being in front of the youma. Tuxedo Mask's blade bounces off.

"DAMN!" bellowed Lita – now Sailor Jupiter, though she did not know it – and hurled another lightning bolt at the youma. It sizzled angrily off the shield.

"Let's GO!" bellowed Malachite. His fingers shook with rage as he sustained the shield in front of the youma. "THEY'LL TAKE HER ENERGY!" Spittle flew from his mouth.

"_Not before I take care of her!"_ insisted Zoicite, equally fierce. She freed Serena's arms – though still keeping a tight hold around her neck – in order to summon a crystal sword in her hand. Serena's hands flew up to her brooch, clasping it tight, but she could not draw enough breath to say her transformation spell.

"Zap her!" hissed a voice at Lita's feet.

Lita looked down, but could not see what was saying it. She settled with hissing back. "Are you off your rocker? Serena'll get fried, too!"

"She's a civilian, Senshi powers won't hurt her!" said the voice impatiently. Lita did not like how eager it sounded, but there was no other choice.

She took a deep breath and clenched her fists again, then opened them so that sparks crackled from fingertip to fingertip. Then she brought the fingers to her forehead, pressing them against her tiara. "Thunder….CRASH!"

Lightning sizzled toward Zoicite. It slammed into her full-force and sent her body into convulsions, crackling. Serena, still gripping her brooch tightly, stumbled away from Zoicite. Tuxedo Mask darted forward and swept her up, retreating back into the shadows with her.

"I have to transform," she croaked to him. "That youma…everyone's energy…"

But there was no time. Malachite's shield around the youma flickered and disappeared, but as the shield disappeared, so did the youma, and the two generals were quick to follow.

* * *

Already, sirens could be heard wailing as they tore through the streets. The room had been plunged into darkness once again when Malachite disappeared, dropping the flashlight.

Serena loosened her hold on Tuxedo Mask's vest and tried to climb out of his arms, but Darien wouldn't let her. If his ears and gut were right – and they always were – that voce he had heard talking to Lita had been Luna's. And if Serena thought he was going to let her down anywhere near that cat, she had another think coming.

He shrugged his cape off surreptitiously, straining to see anything in the darkness, and tugged it over Serena. If the material had been able to withstand crystal shards, it should stand up against cat claws pretty well also. Not that he planned on letting Luna get close enough to test that theory out.

Tuxedo Mask began to pick his way through the dim, hulking shadows, but then a hand grabbed his arm roughly.

"Where do you think you're going?" demanded Lita – Sailor Jupiter.

"Outside," said Tuxedo Mask evenly.

"Lita? Are you okay?" Serena's voice was muffled beneath the cape.

"What have you done to her?" Lita growled, reaching out blindly and scrabbling to uncover Serena's face. "Serena, was this loser trying to kidnap you?"

There was the sound of knuckles cracking. Tuxedo Mask rolled his eyes.

"No, Lita, he wasn't," answered Serena. Tuxedo Mask felt her sit up and try to make Lita out. He wondered idly if her eyesight in darkness was any better than his. "Bt are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"I'm fine. What about you? What were you _thinking_? Walking right into a youma attack! You could've gotten killed!"

"I concur," said Tuxedo Mask. Serena pinched him, and he winced. "Ow."

"So could you!" retorted Serena to Lita, ignoring the masked man. "Who did you think you were, Jackie Chan?"

"Please." Lita snorted. "Jackie Chan's got nothing on me. Especially with that lightning – what the hell _was_ that, anyways?"

"I – " Serena shifted. _Help me here, Darien_, she thought, but of course he couldn't hear her. "I think you must be a Senshi, Lita."

"Like Sailor Moon, huh?" Lita appeared to chew on this for a moment. "That's cool, I guess."

"Yeah…" Serena's voice betrayed the sinking in her stomach. What would happen now? She did not want Lita to have to fight the Dark Kingdm and get hurt, but if she did not explain everything to Lita, Luna would, and then Lita would never speak to her again.

She leaned her head against Darien's neck and thought. Hard.

Suddenly, Lita cursed. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "Motoki!"

"I think he'll be alright," said Tuxedo Mask who had seen Motoki get slammed into the wall by one of the youma's tentacles. "He might have a concussion, but I didn't see any blood on him."

"Still…I'm going to go check on him. Wait for me."

"We can't wait here…" began Tuxedo Mask, but Lita was already gone.

Tuxedo Mask stalked to the shattered window, still on the lookout for Luna. As he passed, people whispered, "Are they gone?"

Serena said, "Yes, but wait for the EMT's. There's broken glass all over and someone might get hurt if you come out before they get rid of it."

Tuxedo Mask stepped easily over the shattered window with his long legs. Already, emergency personnel were gathering up the unconscious bodies on the sidewalk.

A police officer approached them warily. Before he could ask any questions, Tuxedo Mask said, "It was a youma."

The police officer swore. "Here, too?"

"What do you mean, _too_?" said Tuxedo Mask sharply. Serena stiffened.

The cop looked at him as if he were daft. "There were two other attacks just now, a couple blocks away at a grocery store and one at the park. Didn't you know?"

Serena let out a cry. Tuxedo Mask's jaw clenched. "Do you know of any casualties?"

"So far, there haven't been any this time. But some people are in critical care, and we haven't gone in there yet, of course." The police officer motioned at the arcade. "It feels weird to say, but I miss the good old days when the city only got attacked by one youma at a time."

"You're not the only one," replied Tuxedo Mask, then took to the rooftops with Serena.

She gripped his arm. "Darien – Buji was down there – "

"You can't do anything for him right now, Serena. They'll be taking him to the hospital, the policy is no visitors but family."

"Lita wanted us to wait for her."

He stopped, crouched on the lip of a roof. "Are you going to tell her the truth?"

Serena sighed. "I don't know." She leaned her forehead against his shoulder again. "Can we just stay up here for a while, please?"

"Can I jump?" asked Tuxedo Mask. He was feeling itchy, jumpy, he wanted to be in motion. Moving targets were harder to catch.

"Whatever floats your boat," Serena mumbled. "Weirdo."

He grinned slightly and pushed off.

* * *

A few blocks away, Sailor Mercury dragged herself out of the grocery store with her hand clamped over her left arm. She hugged the building behind her as she walked and finally reached an empty alley. She slid down the wall as she detransformed, all of her energy seeping out of her.

Mars had never shown up, nor had Luna. Ami had been able to find the youma's weak spot with her computer, but her only attack was the "Shabon Spray," and that was useless when it came to actually killing a youma. All it had done when she used it was concealed her from the youma. This did nothing, however, to stop it from groping out people in the fog and sucking their energy.

At one point, the youma had actually found her despite the fog. It managed to sink its teeth into her elbow before she got away from it: hence the blood covering Ami's arm.

Had the youma not gotten all the energy it needed and teleported away, Ami thought she probably would have died.

This thought did not really bother her.

She stood up and began to trudge home.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, I have to stop here. It's late, and I still have homework, plus I have to edit this a bit before I post it. It won't be a very thorough editing, so I'm sorry for all the mistakes.

Nimbirosa, Wren Truesong, believe me when I say that I am on Cloud Nine whenever I read your reviews. I lurve your inaneness, Nimbirosa-chan, it always makes me laugh, and Wren Truesong, your dry-humor commentaries always have me in stitches, AND they make me think. Love you guys!

Thank you to everyone else too, it's really you guys who make this story go! Hopefully next chapter will have revplies so I can thank everyone personally. Until then – LOTS OF LOVE!


	24. Coming To a Head

**A/N:** ACK! I'm really sorry, guys. Thanks you sooo much for your reviews, they've been a huge bright spot – like the moon – in these past, stress-filled weeks. I'll stop babbling and just let your ead the chapter – I get the feeling that some of you guys may be foaming at the mouths…

P.S. In an earlier chapter, I desribed Asanuma as having dark curls. I don't know why I did this; I've always pictured him as a blonde, but consider it changed, okay? Asanuma has blonde hair.

P.P.S. Some people have asked – Sere's last Tiara attack killed Psychotica, cured Ami, Rei, and Darien of Psychotica's affects, and undid Beryl's brainwashing of Malachite.

Ack! Almost forgoet my disclaimer! Like last time!

**Disclaimer**: Umm…if I owned Sailor Moon, there would be a Sailor Moon pizza. It would have meatballs and rose petals and bubbles and matches and lightning bolts (and/or oak leaves) and beams of light and - okay, maybe a Sailor Moon pizza wouldn't be such a good idea.

* * *

Subject to Change

Chapter Twenty-Four: Coming To a Head

* * *

"Do you have it?"

"_Yes, my Queen."_ Zoicite knelt before Beryl's dais, a swirling orb of energy floating in her cupped hands. "_It is here._"

Malachite stood like a statue beside Zoicite, his gloved fists clenched. A war raged within him: allow Beryl to further her plans but have Minako back with him again, or stop her at the cost of never seeing his love again.

It was too late to stop Beryl now. The wheel had been set into motion; he had no way, short of killing himself, to keep Beryl from resurrecting Minako. The Mercury of Silver Millennium would have been able to concoct a plan to prevent this, but from what Beryl had shown him of her reincarnation in this, it did not seem as though the Mercury of this miserable time would be able to.

He wished that Minako's Mercury was here. Or better yet, that Minako was. She would know what to do. He could think of no way to dig himself and Minako out of this predicament, but she would have been able to. There was _nothing_ that she was not capable of.

If Minako was resurrected, she _would _be here with him. She would know what to do – she could get them out of this.

Malachite's fists uncurled, and he sank subserviently to his knees beside Zoicite. His head bowed, he did not see the smile unfurling on Beryl's sallow face.

Beryl stood and took the ball of energy from Zoicite, then strode off her dais and towards the same passage she had led them to before, the one that led down to her inner sanctum where Jadeite, Zoicite, and Minako's remains were located.

Zoicite – or rather, whatever the force was that was inhabiting his – her? – body – seized Malachite's elbow roughly to drag him to his feet. Bile rose in Malachite's throat in an overwhelming flood of revulsion from the blasphemous creature's touch. He yanked his arm free and strode ahead of the being, cape flapping behind him.

How could he have sunk so low? From begin High General of the Terran forces to a petty pawn for the traitoress Beryl – how could he have been so _weak?_ What would his prince say?

What would _Minako_ say?

When their small procession reached the subterranean cavern, Malachite's eyes were drawn – as they had been last time – to the enormous orange membrane. Foreboding

skittered up and down his spine as he watched the indistinct black shape writhing within it.

Beryl crossed over to this membrane, kneeling down in front of it and holding the ball of energy up above her head like an offering.

"O Mistress," she chanted in a grating, scaly voice. "Take this puissance and transform it! mold it! magnify it, Mistress! so that we may aid you in your quest! Take this puissance and let your thirst be quenched! Mistress! Take this puissance! Reward its gatherers!

"_Mistress!_ _Take this puissance and reawaken the Senshi Venus_!"

The membrane began to pulse a deeper orange. The black shape within it twisted faster and faster, expanding and fattening like a worm.

Beryl flicked her fingers wide apart, her veins sticking out of the skin like cords.

The camouflaged panel of cavern wall that concealed Jadeite, Zoicite's soul-stone, and Minako's body burst open. Minako's skeletal body shot out of its shallow coffin, her bones rattling against each another as Beryl's magic threw the body down on the floor before the membrane.

The black shape within the membrane grew so large that it pressed against the confines of its prison. A hole burst open, and blackness poured out, splashing onto Minako's body. Electricity flared, and then a block of shiny black obsidian sat on the ground where Minako had been.

The black shape slowed and stilled, but Malachite failed to notice. His eyes were glued fixedly, longingly, to the huge block of obsidian, which had began to crack.

More cracks appeared. Orange light began to glow out from them, and then the whole block exploded.

* * *

As Tuxedo Mask leapt from roof to roof, the cool evening breeze pressed against his clothes and skin, cooling the perspiration from his brow. In contrast, Serena's body felt unusually warm. Looking down, he saw that her fingers clutched her brooch so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.

"Are you okay?"

Serena took a rattling breath and looked up at him with a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Lita's thunder sure does pack a punch, though."

"You mean you _did _feel that?" Suspicion reared up in the back of his mind like a cobra, hissing.

"Part of it. Kind of." Her smile grew brighter, an unmistakable sign that she wanted him to drop the subject.

"But Senshi attacks aren't supposed to harm civilians!" Even as he spoke the words, Tuxedo Mask knew Luna must have lied. That DAMNED cat…

"Where'd you get that crazy idea?" Serena lifted an eyebrow at him. "If our attacks didn't hurt civilians, how could we protect the princess from them?"

"Luna," Tuxedo Mask growled. "She told Lita that her attack wouldn't hurt you."

Serena winced.

"Do the other Senshi know?"

"I don't know if they ever stopped to think about it," answered Serena reluctantly. "We haven't had to attack any civilians yet, just youma. I only know that it does affect us because some of Rei's fire got me once." She unwound an arm from his neck and tugged back her sleeve to reveal a pinkish patch of skin that was shinier than the rest. "Right here. I didn't tell them about it, though, so I don't know if they realized it."

Tuxedo Mask sank into a brooding silence, mind seething. That cat…

A sudden prickling on the back of his neck interrupted his brooding. "'dango," he said suddenly. "Who's following us?"

Serena pulled herself up by his lapels and peered over his shoulder. "It's Lita," she said, surprise, pleasure, and dread mixing in her voice. "Stop, let's talk to her!"

Sailor Jupiter, with her long loping strides, plus her augmented athletic ability as a Sailor Senshi, quickly landed on the same rooftop as them. Tuxedo Mask turned around, rising out of his crouch to a standing position, and Serena scrambled out of his arms, yanking her school skirt down to a more proper length.

Sides quivering ever-so-slightly from the exertion of running across the rooftops, Lita crossed quickly to Serena. She shot Tuxedo Mask a glare not unlike the ones that she often gave Darien.

Then her glare turned into surprise. "Hey! You're that guy, aren't you! From a couple of nights ago!"

Tuxedo Mask, remembering her words about 'the fruity vigilante guy,' said sourly, "No, I'm the other guy who roams the city every night wearing a top hat and a tuxedo."

Serena apparently remembered the 'fruity' reference also. She grinned at him and said, "Stop being such a lemon, Tuxedo Mask." (Of course, that has a totally different connotation to us fanfiction readers…)

Sailor Jupiter gave them both a strange look, but Serena and Darien had grown used to receiving such looks, so they ignored it. "No need to get so defensive. I mean, it's a nice tuxedo and all – "

"Could we get to the point?" said Tuxedo Mask impatiently. He was tired and crabby, and That Cat (he growled) could be lurking somewhere around here, eavesdropping on their every word. The only reason he hadn't just up and leapt off with Serena was because he still felt guilty for Lita's expulsion. But he shoved that thought to the back of his mind.

"Fine with me," snapped Sailor Jupiter, eyes flashing a brighter green than the stone in her tiara. She seized Serena's elbow to steer her away from Tuxedo Mask. "I just wanted to make sure Serena was okay, but I don't need your help for that. You can leave now."

Tuxedo Mask rolled his eyes wearily and crossed his arms across his chest. "It's official," he muttered. "All Senshi get on my nerves."

Serena shot him a scathing look but moved towards him. "It's okay, Lita," she said. "Tuxedo Mask is my friend. He would never try anything to me."

"As if I'd want to," Tuxedo Mask muttered. Serena ground her heel into his foot. "Ow! I mean…uh, Serena's way too scary for me to try anything on her."

Another grinding pain in his toes. He hissed. "_God_, Odango, stop _doing _that! I mean, I respect her way too much to try anything like that!"

"_Shields_!" Sailor Jupiter's eyebrows hit her hairline. "That's YOU, isn't it! Take off that stupid mask!"

Tuxedo Mask glowered for a moment, then took it off. "This is all your fault," he said to Serena. 'If you hadn't started bickering with me – "

"When was _I _bickering? I just said that you were my friend – but you can forget about that now, jerkwad – "

"Does Motoki know about this, Shields?" interrupted Sailor Jupiter suddenly.

"No, he doesn't." Darien fixed his dark eyes on hers. "And you're not going to tell him, either. This is going to remain our little secret."

"Our dirty little secret!" quipped Serena, trying to inject some levity into the atmosphere. It did not do much. "Please, Lita? It's really important that you don't tell anyone – you see, if Toki knew, they might go after him – "

"And what about you?" demanded Lita. "You're not in danger? Why'd you drag her into this, Shields?"

Darien raised his eyebrows at Serena, clearly questioning her. Serena bit her lip, staring back at him helplessly. She just did not know what to do…let Lita in on the secret, or stay quiet and hope that Luna did not get to her…

Darien turned back to Lita and cleared his throat. "Serena gets attacked by youma a lot." Yes, that was the truth. An understatement, even. "I rescued her once, and my mask fell off. She saw my face. The end. Now, if you're through interrogating us, we've got to get going."

Darien pushed his mask back on and looked at Serena. "Piggyback or – uh – " He coughed and blushed suddenly, totally ruining his suave persona. "…uh…bridal style?"

"Your…choice…" said Serena just as uncomfortably, face just as red as his.

"The…uh…latter is better," coughed out Tuxedo Mask.

Sailor Jupiter watched with well-hidden amusement as the superhero scooped Serena up as quickly as possible – rather like ripping a Band-Aid off quickly to avoid prolonged torture – and left without a backward glance to her.

A smile curved her lips – those two became so abruptly and easily oblivious to anything but each other – but she felt a pang in her heart for the same reason. Serena was _her _best friend, but at moments like this, she knew that _she _wasn't Serena's. Darien always came first in the blonde's heart. She would always talk to him first and talk to him longer. At moments like this, she did not even notice Lita at all…

But even as this thought stabbed painfully into Lita's mind, she saw Serena's head pop up above Shields' black-draped shoulder and saw her small white hand waving goodbye to her.

Sailor Jupiter smiled.

* * *

Luna padded quietly across the street, eyes pealed both for oncoming cars or for a glimpse of green. In all the frantic hustle of EMT's loading prone bodies onto gurneys and into ambulances, no one took note of a small black at darting through the crowd.

She would find that new Senshi if it killed her. The girl must be found before Sailor Moon could infect her, if she hadn't already…

A movement on the top of a building caught Luna's eye. She smiled and pounced up towards her newest ward.

Artemis and the princess _would_ be avenged.

* * *

Tuxedo Mask and Serena alighted in the tree outside Serena's window a few minutes later. Darien detransformed as Serena scampered across the tree branch to climb through her window. Darien glowered over the fact that it was unlocked (after that whole lecture he had given her!), but Serena ignored him, tumbling gracelessly off the window sill and into her room.

She quickly stood up and dusted herself off, opening her bedroom door and heading down the stairs. "Want a soda?"

"Have you got Mountain Dew?" asked Darien, glancing around as he himself stepped easily off the windowsill to the floor.

Serena's room was a humungous mess. This in itself did not greatly shock Darien given the state of her locker at school, but the magnitude of messiness was rather startling. Her purple, moon-spattered comforter hung half off of her mattress, and shirts hung from doorknobs and lampshades. Lying on the floor and on top of her cluttered dresser were more brushes, combs, and bobby pins than Darien had thought existed in all of Tokyo. Manga and CD's littered the carpet while a mountain of plush bunnies and UFO dolls sat in the corner – Darien was pleased to see that the Tuxedo Mask UFO doll she had once gotten at the arcade sat on the very top of the mountain. Beside the mountain of stuffed toys was a bookshelf, its contents coated with an inch-thick layer of dust.

The crowning touch of the room, however, was the small pile of shriveled red roses that lay on an unused and empty desk.

Darien hid a smile and followed Serena down the stairs. He found her in the kitchen.

"I KNEW there was something I was supposed to do today!" she groaned, closing the refrigerator door and flinging open the pantry. A frown marred her face as she stretched up on her tiptoes to check the high shelves. "There's no soda, milk, OR ice cream!"

"Oh, NO!" gasped Darien in mock dismay. "No ICE CREAM? Sounds like you need to go grocery shopping, Odango."

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to," grumbled Serena, crossing to the counter and fishing around in the cookie jar with a hopeful look on her face. The hopeful look soon gave way to a mournful pout – apparently, there were no cookies, either. "Shopping is for old ladies, not vibrant young people like myself."

"Excuse me," said Darien, affronted. "But _I_ do my own grocery shopping, thank you very much."

"Case closed," said Serena, yawning. Then she blinked. "You do? Really?"

"Uh, yeah. I'd starve if I didn't." Darien picked up an empty vase from the kitchen window sill and absently placed a couple dozen lilacs in it, conjuring them as he went. "I'm running low on provisions, too, you could come grocery shopping with me if you'd like – "

He suddenly noticed Serena's slack jaw and looked around "What?"

"You're – you're pulling flowers out of thin air!" screeched Serena. "And they're not roses!"

Darien looked down at the full vase in his hands. "Oh. Didn't I tell you? I can conjure up more than just roses."

"You never told me that!"

Darien frowned. 'I thought I did."

"Well, you didn't."

"I _thought_ I did."

"I KNOW you thought you did! But you didn't!"

"So your point is?"

"My point is, TELL ME NOW!" shouted Serena with extreme frustration.

Darien smirked, enjoying his baiting of her. "Don't be mean to me or I'll pull out some poison ivy to give to you. Or better yet, a Venus Fly Trap to bite off that little nose of yours."

"Does that mean you can conjure ANYTHING?" Serena stepped closer to him and pulled the vase out of his hands, examining the lilacs closely.

"Anything as long as it's flora." Darien shrugged, watching her sniff the lilacs and sneeze. He took the flowers back from her and set the vase back on the window sill. "Like roses."

"If you could conjure anything, then why do you just use roses in battles?"

"They're the only things that work even remotely well in a battle. Like I said, Odango, plants are pretty wimpy."

"I don't think so," muttered Serena rebelliously under her breath, but he ignored her.

"Roses have long, sturdy stems, so they don't flop all over like other plants do. After a couple of tries, I figured out that if I concentrated, I could make the stems really rigid and sharp."

"Cool," breathed Serena. "When'd you figure all that out? When you became Tuxedo Mask?"

"Nah. It was waaaay back, when I was a kid."

"Did your sparks work back then, too?"

"Yup."

"Lucky." Serena made a face. "I didn't have ANY powers until I became Sailor Moon."

"But when I became Tuxedo Mask, I didn't get any extra powers," pointed out Darien. "Other than the whole super strength and speed thing. So we're technically on level ground."

"Sure," said Serena skeptically. Then she brightened. "So, how's about those groceries?"

"Wait, I need to do something first. Can I use your phone?"

"Sure." Serena pointed him to the telephone in the living room and followed him. "Whatcha gonna do?"

"I want to check on Motoki," replied Darien, already dialing.

Serena's eyes widened in mortification. "Oh my God!" I didn't even THINK about him! Oh my gosh, I'm such a horrible friend! What if he's hurt? What if he's DEAD? Darien, he's not dead, is he? You saw him get attacked, did it look bad, did it look like – "

Darien motioned at her to be quiet as the opposite end of the line was picked up. She fell silent, big eyes watching him anxiously.

"Mrs. Furuhata? Yes, ma'am, this is Darien – he is? It's not critical, right?" Darien listened for a moment. "No, no, keeping him in observation is something they usually do if a patient's been knocked out, it doesn't mean they think he's going to die. Yes….yes. Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Furuhata."

He hung up. Serena latched onto his arm. "What did she say?"

"Toki's in the hospital. He got a bad bump on his head, and he was unconscious when they found him, but he woke up. He's sleeping now, and they're going to keep him overnight just to keep an eye on him and make sure he hasn't got a concussion."

"Poor Toki…" murmured Serena. "His parents must be so worried – and plus, with the arcade, the inside was totally totaled…"

"Their insurance will cover it, I'm sure." Darien headed towards the front door. "No use worrying about it now. C'mon, let's go."

* * *

"Odango, you're incorrigible." Darien laughed as he looked from her cart (overflowing with cookies, milk, soda, pudding, sugary cereal, Pop Tarts, macaroni and cheese, frozen pizza, and ramen) to his (occupied by neat stacks of yogurt, wheat bread, peanut butter, frozen vegetables, bagels, and sandwich meats – plus a twelve pack of Mountain Dew that he had cleverly hidden from Serena's sight beneath a sack of potatoes). "One of these days you're going to come staggering into a battle unable to move because you ate so much junk food."

"Since when do I even need to move?" pointed out Serena gaily, plucking a bag of potato ships from a shelf and tossing it into her cart. "Tuxedo Mask is my transportation system."

"But if you eat all that food, even HIS stupendous muscular strength isn't going to be able to lift you," countered Darien, hurrying past the ice cream aisle before Serena could notice it.

"Oh, please. Stupendous muscular strength, my foot," snorted Serena, peeling away from Darien to turn into the ice cream aisle. Darien hung his head and sweatdropped. "Ooh, strawberry swirl with bubblegum…yum…"

Darien grimaced. "Yuck. If you're going to screw up your diet, you should at least screw it with something good, like Mocha Cappucino Blitz." He pulled out a carton of said ice cream and placed it in his cart on top of the guacamole.

"Why would I buy ice cream that tastes like _coffee_?" demanded Serena, pulling out a carton each of strawberry swirl with bubblegum, fudge ripple, and cookie dough and stuffing them in her cart. "That defeats the whole purpose!"

"Oh, my! What's this that I see? Serena-chan and Dare-Bear, perusing the ice cream?"

"ASANUMA!"

"Yes, it's meeeeeeeeee!" Asanuma sang, prancing into the ice cream aisle and falling to his knees in front of Serena. "Serena-chan, how could you LEAVE me all ALONE in detention like that!"

"Oh," said Serena, who, in all the hubbub of the afternoon, had quite forgotten that she had abandoned Asanuma in detention. "Well, you see…"

Asanuma rose to his feet. "Were you there?" he said seriously to Darien. "Coach turned on the news and we saw the coverage of the youma attacks. He let me go find Toki, but they'd already taken him to the hospital."

"We got ahold of his mother. He just got knocked out, but they're keeping him overnight for observation. He'll be home tomorrow, though."

"What about the arcade?" asked Asanuma. He clenched a hand in his hair distractedly. "I saw it, dude, it looked like a tornado ripped through that place. And all those people…when is this stuff gonna end?"

No one had an answer to that.

Asanuma spoke next, attempting a grin. "Soo..." he said riffling through their carts. "Shopping together like a married couple, huh? What's next, parenting classes?"

"Ha ha," deadpanned Darien.

"Whoah, whoah, WHOAH!" Asanuma held up the jar of peanut butter Darien had picked up. 'What's this? Not _crunchy _peanut butter!"

"That's what it is," said Darien suspiciously. "So what?"

"So what?" echoed Asanuma in horror. "Dare-bear, both you and I know that crunchy peanut butter is an – " Asanuma paused and looked around, lowering his voice to a dramatic whisper. " – an _aphrodisiac_!"

Asanuma exploded into laughter, rolling around on the floor. Darien sighed and kneaded his forehead, a vein throbbing in his temple. "One of these days, Asanuma…"

Serena's forehead scrunched up confusedly. "What's an aphrodisiac?"

Asanuma only howled more loudly.

* * *

The first sensation she felt was tugging. Something was yanking her.

In two directions.

Two different directions.

Even without opening her eyes, Sailor Venus knew what they were. These two conflicting strings had been present since before she could remember, it seemed. One led to her princess, the other to Malachite.

They had always tugged her in different directions. She had often tripped over one while trying to follow the other.

But only once before had they yanked her so insistently and violently in such violently opposing directions, so that she felt as though her psyche was about to be torn down the center like a piece of parchment.

That had been when she killed Artemis to save Malachite.

So long ago…

Sailor Venus, though for the most part sleeping, had been vaguely aware of the passage of time. It had been years, at least, since the day that Beryl and her mob of possessed Terrans invaded the Moon. It had been years since she had killed Artemis to save Malachite.

Beryl had awoken her scores upon scores of times to beat her, either for mere amusement or when she was unusually frustrated with her inability to find the princess and she interrogated Venus.

And Venus had discovered, on the second or third time she had been awakened (after the shock of her state had worn off) that she could not remember her princess at all. Mercury, she could remember, Mars and Jupiter and the Outers, and of course Malachite and his Shittenou. But she could remember nothing of their princess, not what she looked like or what her name had been. The girl she had spent her whole life protecting and eventually betrayed, and she could not even remember her NAME!

Rather than being panicked about it, though, Venus was glad. If she did not know the princess' identity, that meant that she could not betray her to Beryl. As long as Venus remained mum, Beryl would know nothing of the princess save the exaggerated tales the Terrans had told to their children during Silver Millennium. God knew Pluto had gotten on her nerves some times, but Venus could only be grateful to her now for the memory block she sensed within her mind.

Of course, gratitude was not always the prevailing emotion when Venus felt Beryl's toenails slicing into the flesh of her face, but she had tried not to let this affect her.

Throughout every single on of Beryl's beatings, Venus had stretched out with her Venusian soul-bond with Malachite to find him. It had served an ulterior purpose to finding him – she had also been able to escape the agony of Beryl's beatings, and this caused her to think fondly that even now, he was protecting her, lifting her above harm.

This wasn't true, of course, but it added a romance to the situation that greatly improved Minako's moods when she could feel her own bones turning into powder within her muscles.

A couple of times, she had been able to vaguely sense him. There was something wrong with him, though, something muddled that she attributed to Beryl's dominion over him and the other Shittenou.

But now…stretching out, Venus could feel him. HIM. Like he had been before he appeared on the moon that fateful day. Unchanged, like a flower pressed between heavy tomes.

It thrilled her to no end. If Malachite was back to himself again, something good must have happened. Had the other Senshi come to find her? Her princess?

Venus opened her eyes. She was greeted by a murky darkness, shiny like stone. She looked down at herself and saw her limbs had at least quadrupled in width, her skin smoother and thicker. She had thighs again, and a butt, and she had never been so happy to see them! She felt something brushing her arms, and reached over her shoulder, pulling in front of her face a hank of wheat-colored hair. She grinned happily and rubbed her cheek against it, relishing in the tough, lustrous texture. She pinched her cheeks, her stomach, her legs, her arms, flexed her fingers, unable to believe it. She was back!

But now that she had finished feeling herself up – Sailor Venus grinned, realizing that Mars' Jadeite had rubbed off on her – it was time to break out of this joint.

"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" she called out exuberantly, energy positively flowing through her as she felt the golden hearts bounced to life in her palm. She flung them, one after the other, into the stone prison and watched it crack and shatter around her.

She closed her eyes as her prison crumbled. She gripped one last golden heart in her palm, not wanting to see any of them until she could see them all. When the last of the prison fell around her, she opened her eyes.

But it was not Malachite's enigmatic silvery eyes that locked onto hers.

It was a pair of beryl-green ones.

Venus' eyes widened to impossible proportions. Faster than thought, she flung her last heart at the witch-woman.

Her mind raced. Her heart faltered within her chest. How could Beryl be here when Malachite was back to himself again? Had Malachite perhaps surrendered to her of his own free will, so that he was still working for Beryl but was not brainswashed any longer? No, he would NEVER do that – would he?

As Venus' trust in her love wavered, so did her attack. The golden heart wobbled uncertainly and faded before reaching the Dark Kingdom's queen.

"Excellent," said Beryl, eyes half-lidded. "Excellent. Malachite, don't be shy, come and greet your Aprodite."

Venus' fists clenched tightly as she spotted the platinum-haired general. He wore uncertainty on his face – he, Malachite, who Zoicite had always called the Iron Mask, the unflappable, who never showed any emotion on his face, least of all fear!

It was this fear only that kept her from lunging at him right then and there and beating his face bloody until he told her what in the hell he thought he was doing, helping Beryl when he didn't even have the excuse of being brainwashed!

Venus, not trusting herself to look at Malachite anymore, snapped her eyes back to Beryl. The last thing she felt like doing right now was anything that spared this bitch's life, but there were laws and protocols to be adhered to. "Beryl, you are under system arrest. For attempted assassination of the Her Highness Se – Se – "

Here, Venus faltered again, as she ran head-first into the brick wall blocking her memories of the princess. "Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Silver Mille – "

"Attempted assassination?" Beryl interrupted, eyes glowing. "My dear Sailor Venus, you have no idea hat has happened while you have been down here with me. Your laws no longer exist. Your kingdom no longer exists. Your _precious_ princess no longer exists."

The world dropped out from beneath Venus. Her eyes slid to Malachite as all moisture fled her mouth. His eyes, the uncharacteristic fear in them, the tightness in his jaw, it all confirmed it, as did the tight nod he gave her.

"You're lying," said Venus despite these signs. "You could never have killed the princess." Whether Venus remembered her princess or not was of no consequence; the Silver Crystal would never have allowed one of its lineage to be killed by a mere assassination attempt.

"I didn't kill the princess," said Beryl. "She killed herself."

"No…_no_!"

"Yes, yes – YES!" said Beryl, clearly enjoying herself.

Memories flooded Venus' mind. A man, a dark man, dressed in black and donning primitive armor. His arms around her princess, his mouth dripping poison into her ear – _him._ _He_ was the one who had corrupted her – _he _was the one who had caused all of this…

_WHY COULDN'T SHE REMEMBER WHO HE WAS!_

"Then why am I even here?" spat out Venus, her rage spilling out of her heart and out of her mouth.

"I am going to explain that to you, my dear. Listen, and you will find that perhaps all is not as hopeless as you fear." Beryl leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on Sailor Venus' shoulder.

Venus jerked away and backhanded Beryl, the action making an echoing _sccchhhlaaap!_

Beryl's eyes flared, and she yanked Venus up by her hair. Venus' leg bent and lifted, crunching her knee into Beryl's ribs. The woman doubled over and released Venus.

"You…" she rasped as Venus stood above her.

"Are the others alive?" demanded Venus.

Beryl straightened, wiping blood from her mouth. "If you do that again, you can watch him die." She jerked her head at Malachite. "I won't have this."

"My blood quickens with fear," sneered Venus sardonically. "You can do nothing to him. I can sense it, he is free from your possession."

"Don't get cocky, Sailor Venus," said Beryl lowly, spitting out more blood. "You think that you can beat me." She let out a bark of laughter suddenly. "You think that you can beat me! Your precious queen couldn't even scratch me, and she had the Silver Crystal! You think that you can beat me? With what? The power of _love_?"

Something nagged at Venus' mind. Something was being forgotten, something very important. Something that was dangerous and yet essential.

_Damn it, Pluto!_

"Are you remembering?" said Beryl softly. "Remembering how I slit your queen's throat and yanked her vocal cords from within? You cannot beat me, Sailor Venus, and I will give you and your precious Malachite the same treatment if you defy me. _METALLIA!_"

Her shout was sudden and loud. Rock groaned and cracked, and a boulder shot out of the cavern wall. It sped towards Venus so fast that it blurred, and smashed into her with the force of a mac truck.

For the second time in as many hours, Venus was thrown into the air like a lifeless doll.

Venus gritted her teeth and curled into a ball as her side grazed the ceiling before plummeting gut-wrenchingly downwards again. She felt Malachite's presence intensifying below her and wanted to jerk angrily away from him.

Or rather, that was what the thread connecting her to her princess wanted her to do?

Earth's gravity, however, was stronger, and she landed heavily in Malachite's waiting arms. The wind was knocked out of her, and suddenly, so was her strength. Her transformation faded, and was left in the butter-yellow gown she had worn the night of that fateful ball, its color still as vibrant as it had been that night. She could even see the little smudge on the hem where she had used it to smear some of Mercury's lipstick – that girl had no concept of maquillage. (A/N: the term for make-up in Silver Millennium)

"Now," said Beryl, starting up the stairs towards her throne room. "Come. We will talk."

* * *

Rei dragged herself home from the youma battle at the park, disgruntled, disgusted, and sore. She was disgruntled because the youma had disappeared before she had a chance to even fry a bit of its butt off, disgusted because she hadn't even been able to stop the youma from disappearing with all those people's energy, and sore because she'd just run straight from her school to Asanuma's school to the park and home, dammit!

She grumbled under her breath and stalked up the temple steps. She had told Ami that she would be back to help her, but the chances were that if her youma had vanished, Ami's had vanished, too – right? She'd check up on her via communicator. Later.

Rei slid open the door, and as she did so, the sound of coughing reached her ears. She grimaced, half in annoyance and half in sympathy. Grandfather.

She shut the door quietly behind her and leaned against it. Responsibility and pure common courtesy – not to mention the fact that she was related to the man – dictated that she go and check on him, ask if he needed anything. But…she didn't want to.

She _really_ didn't want to.

But there was his voice. Croaking out weakly.

"…Hiotsu…Hiotsukeru…"

Rei clenched a fist and slipped into his room, crouching beside his cot. "Yes?"

"Hiotsukeru…" His eyes cleared slightly beneath the film that always hazed them these days. "You're back…please don't go, Hiotsu-chan, if your marry him…your child…the Fire has shown it…bad things…"

"Here's some water, Grandfather," said Rei loudly, shoving the water glass from his nightstand into his hands. Some of it sloshed out of the glass and onto his face.

Grandfather blinked slowly, his eyes clearing slightly. "Oh…Rei." He blinked again. "I almost didn't recognize you there for a minute, granddaughter. You look so much like your mother…"

"I know. I – I've…got homework." Rei stood up. "Good night, Grandfather."

"Good night…" With a cough, Grandfather fell back into a fevered sleep.

Rei went to the kitchen and slammed a glass down on the table, throwing some juice into it. She kicked back the juice, wishing that there was some alcohol in it. She could use a break from real life for a while.

Her communicator suddenly crackled. She thumbed it on. "Mars here."

"Mars, call Ami to the temple," came Luna's voice. "I'm bringing someone to see you."

Rei frowned as Luna signed off without explaining. She pressed the Mercury button.

"Yes?" came Ami's voice, tired and sad. Rei felt a stab of annoyance: what did _Ami _ever have to worry about? She had a mother with a steady, well-paying job, she made straight A's, and never even had to worry about taking down youma or being suddenly seized by visions in the middle of Latin class. All she did was stand around and clack away at her computer.

"Ami, temple, now," said Rei shortly, then thumbed off the communicator. Luna hadn't taken the time to explain anything to her, so why should she?

She sat still for a moment, staring at the communicator – more significantly, the moon-shaped button.

He had been sitting with her. Talking with her, laughing with her. While Rei looked on from the outside, alone.

He had chosen Serena over her. They always chose Serena over her.

No one _ever_ wanted her.

* * *

Rei's mother death did not come at a convenient time for Rei's father. Nothing was ever convenient for him. But he worked around it.

"You're going to live with your grandfather, Rei."

Rei kept her eyes on her hands, fingernails digging into the buttery leather seats of her father's limousine. His brusque voice hovered on the edge of her consciousness; she pretended not to hear it.

He knew what she was doing. He continued to speak. "He's old, so behave. If he expires because you overexert him, you're straight off to that girls' boarding school we discussed. Nod if you understand me, Rei."

Rei kept her head defiantly still.

"I said _nod_ if you hear me, Rei." Steel ran under hr father's voice. Irn fingers gripped her chin and lifted it up and down. She stared out from under her dark bangs with blazing eyes. She _hated _him.

"Your mother's not here to baby you anymore." Her father let go of her chin; Rei continued to glare at him. "I don't plan to put up with any of your juvenile tantrums. You're what, eleven now?"

"Nine."

"Nine. Still old enough to be held accountable for your own actions."

When they arrived at the temple that was to be Rei's new home, Rei's father and a short little bald man (he introduced himself as her grandfather) went into a room to talk. Rei sat on the temple steps next to her suitcase, watching the cherry blossoms fall and a couple f crows wheel around in the sky above her.

Her mother had told her stories about those crows. Their names were Phobos and Deimos. They had something to do with one of the planets, Rei couldn't remember which one. When her mother had told her stories like that, she had not focused as much on th actual stories but on the warm, mellifluous sound of her mother's voice. It was so rarely that she had time to spend time with Rei between all of Father's diplomatic functions.

At first, all that Rei could hear was the cawing of the crows and the quiet sound of the wind whispering through the sakura trees. But then another sound reached her ears.

Her father's voice, shouting. A quieter, deeper voice that must belong to her grandpfather.

They were arguing.

Rei shrank in on herself, wrapping her arm around her knees.

One of the crows landed beside her. She watched it carefully, trying to lose herself in the glossy blackness of its feathers. The other crow landed beside the first, and she smiled. She wished that she had a sister or brother like them. Someone to endure the fear and knotted stomachs with her.

Father and Grandfather emerged. Father was adjusting his tie nonchalantly, as though he had not just been shouting a moment ago.

"Rei, we have decided that you will be attending the Catholic Girls' School down the road. Your grandfather will take you to buy the uniform tomorrow."

With that, Rei's father slid back into the idling limousine, and shut the door behind him.

Rei watched the long black car pull away from the curb and roll down the street. She glanced warily up at the short old man standing beside her.

His eyes were fastened on the limousine, also, brows furrowed and lines etched deeply in his face. Then he looked down at her and smiled. Rei, who was accustomed

to recognizing fake expressions from spending time among her father's colleagues – noticed the artificiality of his smile immediately.

"Let's go get you settled in, okay, honey?"

Rei was settled into a sparse room, the only furniture a bed and a low table. She stuffed her things into the closet and then lay down on the bed, facing the wall. When the man who was her grandfather came in to call her for dinner, she pretended to be sleeping.

When he sighed and shut the door, she opened her eyes again, feeling the darkness press in against her eyeballs. How long she lay there, she did not know, but after what had to be hours, she rose from her bed.

Rei moved as though in a trance, and she remembered thinking detachedly that she must have fallen asleep and was dreaming.

She slid open the thin paper door of her room and followed the warm orange light that danced on the floorboards of the hallway.

That was the first time she saw the Great Fire.

She saw things in It. Swirling skirts, flashing eyes, dazzling light, glinting jewels. Blue eyes, white skin, black fur, red blood.

She fell asleep in front of that fire.

The man who was her grandfather found her there the next morning. His eyes held a troubled worry in them, but she ignored it.

Two days later was her first day at the Catholic school her father had enrolled her in at the last moment. Rei was already stamped as an outsider for being the "New Kid," and her cool demeanor and priest grandfather only distanced her further from the rest of the children.

So it was that Rei Hino grew up quietly, subtly, and all alone.

As time passed, she acquired a curious, detached affection for her grandfather. It was curious because she could not figure out when it was that the started to smile instead of pull away when he patted her head, and detached because – because of something he had said when her father had last come to visit.

It had been a balmy June night. Her father had dropped in unexpectedly, a tall, thin blonde woman on his arm. Her father and her grandfather had vanished into the temple, and the blonde woman had wrapped an arm around Rei's shoulders and squeezed her tightly, cooing to her in a sugary voice.

Rei had given the woman her most severe frown and moved away. Phobos and Deimos fluttered down to land on hr shoulders, and the woman retreated back into the limousine.

Father and Grandfather came outside a few minutes later. Grandfather's eyebrows were beetled together like they always did when something had upset him, and Father wore an especial smug expression. He ignored Rei, as always, and slid straight to the limousine. It cruised away.

Rei stood still as a statue in the miko robes Grandfather had spent weeks making for her. She watched the limousine pull away and wished, more than anything in the world at that moment, for another car to smash into it as it turned the corner.

She strained her ears, hoping to hear the satisfying squeal of brakes, crunch of metal, and shattering glass. But it never came. Instead, she heard only her grandfather's papery voice, muttering to himself that he wished that Hiotsukeru had never married that man and had to bear his child.

Rei's grandfather never realized that his daughter's daughter had heard his rashly-uttered venting. Thus, he was unable to make amends.

Rei did not know how she could feel affection for a man who had wished that she had not been born. As time passed, the wound Grandfather's word had inflicted became infected. It festered, and as Rei grew older, she began to push him away. If he did not want her to exist, then she wished the same of him.

Because she avoided him, Rei never noticed the growing pain in her grandfather's eyes. It was a cycle of silence and hurt.

A month into Rei's first year of high school, Grandfather fell ill. Fevers plagued him; chills shook his frame; weariness dogged his steps. He stumbled in from sweeping the steps one morning, and did not get up for three days. The doctors came and said that it may be his time. They gave him bottles and bottles of pills, but the illness did not abate. Rei was forced to take on all of the temple duties along with her school responsibilities, an had to nurse Grandfather on top of that.

She did it.

She did it unhappily.

Unhappily and silently.

The cycle rolled onwards, like a monstrous wheel crushing all in its path.

Two weeks after the day Grandfather collapsed into his bed, the phone rang. Rei looked up from the rice she was cooking and stared at it sourly.

She picked it up. "Hikawa Shrine."

"Rei."

"..." Rei's fists clenched; she resisted the urge to hurl the pot of rice into the wall. "Father."

"One of your mother's friends has finally gotten married, Rei. She's invited us to her wedding reception; she says that she wants to see you."

"Who is she marrying?" Rei said tonelessly, spooning rice out of the pot into a bowl for Grandfather.

A chuckle came across the line. Rei wanted to twist his guts out. "Ah, Rei, you know me too well, darling."

"Don't call me that."

A silence. "Watch yourself, Rei," said her father's voice dangerously. "You are treading thin ice."

"Who is she marrying?"

Another silence. "The head of a large corporation that has great promise as a potential campaign sponsor. Takeshi will pick you up at six o'clock tomorrow."

"I won't be your fundraiser."

"You'll be whatever I want you to be," said her father, an edge to his voice. "Be ready to go, Rei, or I will be forced to do something you don't want me to do."

"Grandfather's sick," said Rei.

"He lived fifty years without your help, Rei, I doubt one night without you will kill him."

He hung up then.

The next day, Rei picked up her pace walking home from school. She needed the extra time to take a shower, make Grandfather supper, do her homework…

She was in the middle of spooning soup into a bowl when the familiar sleek limousine pull to a stop in front of the temple. A man opened the driver's door, walked up the steps with a package in his hands.

"Your father wishes you to wear this, Miss Hino."

Rei wordlessly took the package and went to her room. A moment later she re-emerged in a silken red sheath, low and long. Her hair hung straight and unadorned down her back; no jewelry hung from her limbs; her face wore no makeup. She would not help her father by making herself more attractive to his colleagues' sons.

She took the soup in to Grandfather's dim room on a tray. He stirred as she fluffed his pillow for him, his rheumy eyes fluttering open.

"Hio…" he rasped, his gnarled hand lifting weakly. "Hiotsu…you came…back…"

Her mother's name. He had called her by her mother's na,e/

Rei took a step backward. Her hands opened and closed, clutching at empty air: nothing to catch her.

"Hiotsukeru…wished for so long…you to come…back…" Grandfather sighed, long and low, and fell back into slumber.

Rei turned and fled, throwing herself into the limo. She would never be good enough for anyone. They would always look at her and wish for someone else.

Upon reaching Tokyo, the chauffeur stopped at Rei's father's house. He nodded Rei inside. Rei entered to find her father still adjusting his starched white collar in front of the hall mirror.

"Rei," he said, examining his profile in the mirror. "Take care of my tie, will you?"

Hatred starkly evident in every line of her face, Rei stepped close to her father and yanked his tie into place. She stomped back to the front door.

Her father looked at himself in the mirror again, then speared her with a cold glance. "This is not a tie. Perhaps I should call you back to Tokyo into real society so that you can learn how to tie a tie properly?"

It was a subtle warning. Rei took note of it and schooled her face back into a blank mask.

Her father led her back to the limo, which then carried them to a palatial mansion. Rei stepped stiffly out of the car after her father, gritting her teeth for only a moment before taking the arm he offered her.

Her father smiled suavely to all the finely-dressed people around them, and his fingers tightened around her elbow in a wordless command to smile. Rei did so, and it felt strange.

Inside, they were greeted by a sweep of people, glittering, smiling, tittering. Several men converged on her father at once, along with a couple of women, and Rei slipped away before she could be pulled into a conversation of, "Oh, my! You look just like your mother, my dear! She was such a beauty!"

She pushed her way across the dance floor to a corner by the fireplace, which contains a fake burning log.

_Like a moth drawn to flame_, she thought to herself. _Except that this is a fake fireplace – which means that it can't burn me, right?_

She wrapped her arms tightly around her bare shoulders, the gesture more belligerent than defensive. She stared at the fake flames, determined not to make eyes contact with a single soul.

A quarter of an hour stubbornly ticked past. Then Rei's senses flared as someone pushed through the crowd behind her and stood, panting slightly, behind her. She hunched her shoulders more stiffly.

"Do you dribble when you drink punch?"

Rei remained motionless. The mal voice had to be speaking to someone else. She would sooner slit her wrists than embarrass herself by turning around only to find out that he had not been speaking to her at all.

But then the voice's owner moved in front of her, his shiny black shoes invading her line of sight. "Do you dribble when you drink punch?"

Rei lifted her eyes and regarded the voice's owner frostily. She kept her expression the same as she took in his features: blonde hair, medium build on a tall frame, and a cheeky grin.

He raised his eyebrows cheerily at her. "Because, you know, your dress is red, so if you do, the punch won't stain it." He held out a glass of the red punch to her, then took a gulp of his own. "Go on, have some. I didn't spike it, Girl Scouts' honor."

Rei glared at his grin.

His lowered his own cup from his mouth, looking pleading.He leaned toward her, talking out of the corner of his mouth. "Please take it. My mother's watching; she'll have my hide if she thinks I'm not charming enough to persuade one measly girl to accept a drink from me."

_Why should I care if you get in trouble? It's not my problem._ Eyebrows furrowed, Rei reluctantly took the punch and took a small sip.

"Thanks," said the youth, nearly deflating in relief. "I'm Asanuma, by the way. I'd hold out my hand for a shake, but I get the feeling you'd just glare at me."

Re's eyebrows knit together again, and she glowered. What was her, clairvoyant?

"You know," said Asanuma, gulping down some more of his punch nonchalantly, "If you keep scowling like that, your eyebrows are going to knit together, and you'll have a unibrow."

Immediately, Rei's forehead smoothed. She scowled again as she realized what she had done. "Go away."

"No can do," said the boy cheerfully. "As long as I appear to be holding a cordial conversation with you, my mother can't nag at me to dance with the girls. I'm using you, you see."

"You're pathetic," said Rei shortly, and moved away.

He followed her, much to her well-concealed consternation.

"What's your name?" he wanted to know. "You never told me. Are you a Camellia? You seem like a Camellia to me. Or maybe a Bourgainvillea. You're pretty thorny."

Rei ignored him, elbowing her way to the punch bowl. Inside her chest, her stomach – or maybe her heart, she really could not discern – was writhing. He was paying attention to her. He did not know who she was – or so he said, anyway – which meant that he was speaking to her because of who she was, not who her parents were. Could he – could he LIKE her?

As soon as she thought it, she knew the question was ridiculous. There was no reason for him to like her. It was just her stupid imagination trying to make her look like an idiot.

"Lisa, then," Asanuma was saying. "Or Gardenia. Reika? I hope not, there's a Reika at my school and I don't like her much – Jamila? Helen? Come one, throw me a bone here! Melissa. Belinda. Sandy, Candy, Jackie, Tanya, Sally, Bertha – "

"Ah, Rei." Her father chose this moment to slip out of the crowd. "I see that you've met Mr. Itto's son. Asanuma, is it not?"

Asanuma nodded politely, demeanor cooling by a couple of degrees.. "Yes, sir."

"Splendid." Rei's father eyed him speculatively, hand on Rei's shoulder. She loathed the heat that emanated from his hand: it was a slimy, sweaty warmth. She missed the dry heat of the Great Fire. "You're attending St. Anthony's like your father did, I presume?"

"No, sir. I go to a public high school in the Azabu district."

Re watched her father's expression curdle like spoiled milk and wondered if this kid knew who her father was.

An idea blossomed in her mind suddenly as she watched Asanuma squarely meet her father's quickly chilling gaze. She stepped forward to stand next to the teenager, shrugging off her father's arm.

"Asanuma and I were just going to dance, Father," she said, blinking owlishly at him. "Come on, Asanuma." She glided off toward the dance floor, gritting her teeth.

"Whoah." She heard Asanuma quickly fall into step behind her, his shoes clicking on the marble floor. "Are you bipolar or something?"

Rei did not spare him a glance, merely wound an arm around his neck and glanced over her shoulder to make sure that she would not tread anyone when she began dancing.

"You used me, I decided it was convenient to return the favor. Now we're even."

"My friends would disagree. They say I'm odd."

Rei paused. One eyebrow lifted, and she glanced up at him. Then his meaning finally sank in, and her face smoothed as she rolled her eyes. "Far be it from me to correct them."

"Are we really going to dance?"

"What are we doing now?"

A pause followed as Asanuma glanced down at their shuffling feet. Rei took the opportunity to examine him again. This kid could not be Japanese; he was blonde as the sun.

"Where are you from?" she asked suddenly.

He looked back to her, eyes dancing. "Meow, meow."

She stared at him again uncomprehending. His grin faltered a bit.

"Curiosity killed the cat," he said, in a sheepish way that made her think that he was explaining the strange noise he had made.

"So...you're trying to tell me that you're an undercover government agent and asking you questions will cost me my life?"

"It worked for James Bond," he said with a shrug.

They swayed back and forth for a moment, Rei avoiding his eyes and staring at anything – ANYTHING – other than him. Then she spoke suddenly again, forcing her gaze onhim again. "Where are you from? You don't look Japanese."

"That's because of my mum. She's from America."

"How'd she end up here?"

"It's a long story."

Rei shrugged. "I've got time to kill."

"No, I mean it's a long and BORING story."

"It can't be any more boring than just standing here and moving back and forth from one foot to anther."

He grinned. 'You're right. Well, my dad lived here in Japan till high school, then he went over to America for college. He met my mom in one of his legal courses, they dated. He came back to Japan to work as a diplomat, she worked in America as a diplomat, they met up again at a social function just like this yawnfest, started dating again, got married. Mom moved over here; they had me. And we all lived happily ever after!" He smiled a Yamazaki smile. "The end!"

"You're right, that was boring," commented Rei.

"You wanted more of the mushy details, didn't you?" Asanuma waggled his eyebrows. "Dad did tell me that he dropped the engagement rign down the toilet at the restaurant the night he was planning to propose – "

"How is that a mushy detail?" interrupted Rei

Asanuma grinned wickedly. 'Well, you see, it's mushy because in the toilet there was – "

"Disgusting!" cried Rei. "Don't tell me THAT – "

" – a wad of toilet paper," finished Asanuma loudly over her protest. She pulled her fingers out of her ears and glared at him. 'What did you think I was going to say, that there was a brown sub – "

"Not listening, not listening, not listening," sang Rei, eyes flashing at him as she stuck her fingers in her ears again.

"I was just KIDDING," said Asanuma. "Man, you're just like my friend Darien, can't take a joke – "

"Jokes are _funny_," said Rei. "That was just GROSS."

Asanuma smiled suddenly, eyes unfocusing as he smiled gently at her. "Anything can be funny if you let it," he said.

Rei lifted ad eyebrow and looked at him, waiting for his weird mood to pass.

He snapped back quickly. "Anyways," he said, "you wouldn't be interested in that, I guess, Miss Pre-Menstrual."

Rei did not even have time for her jaw to drop in outrage at his appellation before he continued obliviously, "So, your turn. Give me your life story in two hundred words or less."

"I was born. I had birthdays. I'm still waiting to die," sad Rei. "The end."

"That's ALL? Don't you have anything interesting? Like a boyfriend? A secret lover? An alterego as the superheroine of Tokyo?"

Rei snorted. "I think you're mistaking me for Sailor Moon. Do I LOOK like a blonde?"

"Wouldn't you feel bad for asking m that question if I told you that I was colorblind?"

"No," retorted Rei fiercely, then hesitated. "You – you aren't, are you?" _Open mouth insert foot…_

"Nah!" said Asanuma. "Didn't I notice before that your dress was red? You blonde, you!"

"Watch it," said Rei threateningly, grinding her shoe into his foot.

Asanuma winced. "I guess we know who's going to be wearing the high heels in the relationship."

"RELATIONSHIP?"

"Yes, didn't you know?" said Asanuma brightly. "Our parents arranged for us to be married; I'm your betrothed. Pucker up and kiss me, darling!"

Rei stared in horror at his mouth, which was making slobbery smoochy noises, then glanced desperately up into his eyes. "Thy did not!"

Asanuma wilted, the kissy noises stopping. 'No, they didn't. But it was worth a try, wasn't it?"

Rei's breathing untangled, and she breathed a sigh of relief. God, for a minute there she'd actually believed him – her father would not be below such a thing as engaging her without her consent or knowledge… "I think you're high."

"Certainly, compared to other Japanese men, I am pretty high up," admitted Asanuma, straightening to his full height. "I'm quite flattered, Rei."

"That's Miss Hino to you!" snapped Rei. "And I didn't mean that you were tall, I meant that I think someone DID spike that punch you guzzled down."

"Oh, no, I always act like this," said Asanuma unconcernedly, spinning them deftly away from a man who had just lifted his hand to ask to cut in. "Actually, I'm acting rather tamely tonight. You should see me at school – hey, you SHOULD come see me at school! Then I can tell everyone that you're my girlfriend, and all the boys will be so jealous that they'll turn green – and since I'm not colorblind, I'll be able to see them! And - "

"Get a grip," said Rei disgustedly. "I wouldn't go out with you in a thousand years."

Asanuma paused, frowning at her. "Oh, you thought that I was asking you out? I'm sorry, you must have misunderstood me – I already have a boyfriend who I'm very much in love with, thank you."

Rei stared at him.

Asanuma's straight face (hahaha! More like NOT straight face!) lasted about three seconds before it cracked and he burst into peals of laughter.

"Oh, your face!" he howled, swiping the corners of his eyes with his Spongebob tie. "You BELIEVED me! Good Lord, Rei, you are gullible with a capital G!" He sobered abruptly. "Hey, you know what else starts with G? G –"

"Gay," supplied Rei dryly, rolling her eyes.

" – irlfriend!" Asanuma finished. "Which is something that I, sadly, do not have."

Rei cocked an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?"

"Yes!" Asanuma burst out passionately. "You're supposed to feel so sorry for me, in fact, that you volunteer to be my girlfriend so that I'm not lonely anymore!"

"I don't feel sorry for you, I feel sorry for whoever DOES end up being your girlfriend."

"Your tongue is as sharp as your high heels, Rei."

"_Miss Hino_."

"Pshaw! I'm not calling you that!"

"Asanuuuuuuuuuma!"

Asanuma's head whipped around suddenly. Rei caught sight of a blonde woman in a Grecian-style dress standing near the punch bowl and calling his name. His mother? She found herself hoping so.

"Oh," said Asanuma, in an inscrutable voice. "I've gotta go."

_But – _"Oh. Okay. Whatever." Rei flipped her hair as if it did not bother her.

"Hey…" Asanuma paused and rubbed the base of his neck with the heel of his hand. "You wanna do this again some time? At these functions, I mean."

Rei shrugged. "Sure. If I come again."

"Yeah, I getcha." Asanuam grinned. "I stay away from these things when I can, too. They pass a lot faster with someone so sour, though."

"Gee, thanks." Rei deadpanned. "Shouldn't you be going now?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Asanuma scuffed the floor with his highly-polished leather shoe. "So…bye."

"Bye."

Asanuma turned and headed for the woman in the Grecian dress.

After an uncomfortable "chat" with her mother's friend (it basically consisted of "Dear, your mother would be so _proud _of how you've turned out! Your father's brought you up so _well_!"), Rei's father escorted her out to the limo.

"We'll go to the house first," Senator Hino said to the chauffeur. "I don't feel like sitting through the drive to that temple."

The chauffeur nodded deferentially, and Senator Hino sat back in the leather seat. He poured some champagne from the mini-bar beside him and swirled around.

"You know," he began conversationally, "If your mother had been at that party, she would have been drumming up support among all the women and other wives, not gadding about with some diplomat's deadbeat son."

"There's the little matter of Mother being married," said Rei blankly. "I'm not."

"When your mother was your age, she knew how to tie a tie. She spoke three different languages and could keep a group of fifty people under her spell for hours. What can you do? Make chicken noodle soup and play with crows, that's what _my_ daughter does." Her father gulped down a mouthful of the champagne. "Really impresses everyone, that does."

"Well, sorry that I'm not a clone of your dead wife." Rei's skin crawled as she said this, but she succeeded in keeping her voice cold.

"God, I wish she was here." He took another gulp of champagne, then another. His dark eyes hazed over slightly. "Better her than you. She should've been the one who lived that day, not you."

When the silent chauffeur dropped Rei off at the temple an hour later, Rei stood for a moment in the temple courtyard. The cool September wind swirled about her, and Phobos and Deimos wheeled in the star-spangled sky above her. She inhaled deeply, trying to absorb some of their peace, but the chill air only stung her nostrils. It was different for _them. _They were free; they could fly wherever they wanted together. She was stuck here, where no one wanted her. Alone.

She stalked up to the temple and let herself in. She forced herself to check on Grandfather, hearing faint coughing from the direction of his room.

As she came to stand by his bed, his heavy lids fluttered one slightly. "Hiotsukeru?" he rasped again, like he had earlier. "Is that you?"

Rei did not smile. She said, "Yes, Father," and left.

She fell asleep on her bed that night in the formal dress, feeling that there was not a single person in the world who was glad that she had been the one to live that day fifteen years ago.

When she woke up the next morning, dress wrinkled and hair tangled, she went straight to the kitchen and gulped down some pomegranate juice. She gulped it down as violently as a shot; some of it sloshed out and splashed onto her dress. It sank into the deep red fabric and soon could not even be seen.

It was a few days later. Rei was sweeping the temple steps like she had been forced to do every afternoon since Grandfather fell ill.

Two teenage girls appeared around the corner and headed towards the temple. One had hair so dark that it looked blue; she was being dragged along by the other girl, a blonde who was chattering a mile a minute. Rei gritted her teeth at her gratingly cheerful voice.

The blonde sped up hen she spotted the temple. She raced up the steps only to trip and fall flat on her face, skinning her knees. She sat up and sniffled as the blue-haired girl hissed I sympathy and sank down beside her, handing her a handkerchief.

Rei watched the scene unfold from beneath her bangs and thought sourly to herself that the little prep deserved to fall down after running around like a chicken with it head cut off.

Perhaps to justify her contempt of the blonde girl, she eavesdropped on their wishes. The blonde's prayer was some crazed plea to pass a science test. The dark-haired one spoke much more quietly than her friend: Rei had to strain to hear her whisper.

"I wish for my mother to love me."

Rei snorted and stared bitterly at the back of the girl's head. That idiot didn't have any right to be whining. At least she HAD a mother.

Some people just didn't appreciate anything.

* * *

Rei growled and yanked the broom off of its hook, then began t viciously sweep the temple stairs, despite the fact that it was nighttime.

By the time the tears on Rei's face were dry, Ami had arrived. Rei grunted a greeting to her, and Ami shifted from foot to foot.

"I can't stay long," she blurted out.

"For God's sake, Ami," snarled Rei, grateful for someone to lash out at after her moment of weakness. "Can't you lay off the studying for one freaking night?"

Ami shrank in on herself. "I – it's not that – I mean – my mother doesn't know what I'm here…"

"Would you shut up with the excuses already? You're not the only one who has other things to do, Ami – "

"Enough!"

At the sound of Luna's distinctive, authoritative voice, both girls turned.

Luna stepped forward out of the shadows. But she was not alone.

"Girls," she said as a brunette wearing a green Senshi fuku emerged from the trees, "meet Sailor Jupiter."

* * *

I'm sorry there wasn't more Serena and Darien. This was a chapter written in fragments on the bus and late at night… I hadn't remembered how little time school leaves for writing.

BTW, could someone tell me how you put things in your Bio? Nothing I've tried works – I'm so blonde!

Another BTW – all credit for the idea of making Rei and Ami's disorders part of a youma attack goes to my friend, Revolutionnaire Rouge! Love you, Giri-chan!


	25. Advent

A/N: It's a short chapter. I'm really sorry. I should have waited to post it – but I'm desperate for reviews, you guys. School is driving me CRAAAAZY.

Disclaimer: I dooooooon't owwwwwwwn Saaaaaaaaaailor Mooooon – oops, I was going to save that one for Halloween. Darn!

* * *

**Subject to Change**

Chapter Twenty-Five:

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**Tokyo Tribune**

Saturday, November 14, 2005

* * *

**Obituaries**

* * *

**Hiotsukeru Hino, 33**

_Actress_

Tokyo – Mrs. Hiotsukeru Hino of Tokyo died Friday at her home in suburban Tokyo, of undisclosed causes. She was thirty-three.

Born at the Hiawaka Shrine in the Juuban district, Mrs. Hino tended the Shinto shrine with her grandparents until breaking into the television business at nineteen. She starred in the soap opera _Hearts Aflame _before making her first film appearance as the protagonist in summer sleeper hit _The Scent of Camellia._ The movie's spectacular success kindled her career, and she starred in movies ranging from psychological thrillers like _Avant Gardener_ to romantic comedies like _Knock, Knock, Teddy_.

Mrs. Hino is survived by her husband, Senator Takumi Hino; her father, Jokigen Byoki; and her daughter, Rei Hino.

* * *

**Bridget and Ryori Kino, 34 and 36**

_Entrepreneurs_

Kyoto – Cooking show guru Bridget Kino and her husband, owner of the Daidokoro restaurant chain, were killed Friday in the commercial plane crash Friday that took over two hundred lives. Mrs. Kino was thirty-four. Mr. Kino was thirty-six.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Mrs. Kino met Mr. Kino, a native of Osaka, in France where they attended Cordon Bleu together. They married several years after meeting and launched the popular eatery Daidokoro.

They are survived by their daughter, Lita Kino.

* * *

Once a giggling Asanuma had peeled himself off of the linoleum floor, he followed Serena and Darien to the checkout lane. 

"Numa," asked Serena curiously as he followed them, "Are you buying anything?"

"Oh, yes," said Asanuma wickedly. "It so happens that I am in dire need of Pepto-Bismol."

"…oh." Serena blanched. "I…hope it…helps…"

"Does it work for diarrhea of the mouth?" Darien wanted to know. "Because if it does, I'm buying another bottle for you, Asanuma!" _Aphrodisiac, indeed…_

"Oh, I was just joking!" Asanuma chortled and slapped Darien on the back. "I just came to pick up some milk."

"Oh," sighed Serena in relief. "I'm glad."

"Changing the subject," began Darien, eyeing the checkout lanes as he spoke. Aisle three looked like it had the shortest line… "Why did you have detention today, Numa?"

"Did it have something to do with Seiko?" injected Serena abruptly.

Asanuma jerked and stared at her.

"What?" Darien looked from Serena to Asanuma. "What happened? Did he do something to you, Odango?" _WHEN? I was with her the whole day…!_ "DID HE?"

"No, no, no!" Serena shook her head, hair swinging. "I haven't talked to him since – well, you know. But I saw Numa glaring at him in detention, so I thought…"

"He said some crap about someone I know, okay?" Asanuma's voice cut in coldly. He was staring at the ground. "So I punched him. He punched me back. We got detention. The end."

"Sorry, Numa," apologized Serena in a small voice. "I didn't mean to…make you sad."

"I'm not sad!" Asanuma pulled his head up, curving his lips widely. "Do I look mad, Serena-chan? I'm not mad!" He smiled more widely. His cheeks looked like they were about to break, they were stretched so tightly. "Oh, look! The express lane's empty – I'm gonna go pay!"

Serena and Darien watched him skip away.

"You know," said Darien, his words stirring the air near Serena's ear. She unconsciously leaned closer to the warmth, the realized what she was doing and yanked herself away. _Eeeeeewwww! _"I know I say you suck at lying, but no matter how horrible you are, Asanuma is worse."

"Yeah…" Serena tilted her head to watch Asanuma joking gaily with the cashier, who – by the look of her flushed face – seemed quite enamored by his chatter.

"Odango, your hair is tickling me," came Darien's voice from above her.

"It's your own fault," retorted Serena without batting an eyelash. "For being so tall."

"Excuse me for being able to see over a steering wheel."

Serena scowled darkly. "Stop rubbing it in and get in line, Nerdboy."

The appellation reminded him of Mr. Hamtaro and what he had said about Darien's grades. Darien grimaced.

Serena noticed his change in expression and looked up at him concernedly. "You okay?"

"Of course!" He gave her one of his wry smiles. "Just hungry. It's not often that I go without a snack from the arcade."

Serena frowned. "Me, neither…"

Darien mentally punched himself for bringing up the subject of the arcade. _Nice way to rain on the parade, Shields_.

Ten minutes later, they were checked out. Asanuma joined them as they headed out into the parking lot.

"Hey, Dare, I can drive Serena home," he said nonchalantly, tossing his car keys up and down.

"Nah, we're good." Darien popped open his trunk and began loading groceries into it. "Serena's house is on my way, anyways."

"Yeah, you only have to take a fifteen minute detour." Asanuma rolled his eyes. "You've got ice cream in there, Dare, you don't want it to melt."

Serena, feeling rather guilty for making Darien chauffeur her al over town when he really needed to be at home working on his homework, piped up suddenly. "Numa's right, Darien. Don't worry, he can drive me home. I don't want you to lose your ice cream because of me."

Darien smiled to cover his hesitation. To let Asanuma drive Serena home would be violating his vow not to let her out of sight. But he could clearly see that glint in Serena's eyes. It was a glint that said she would brook no argument.

"Always putting ice cream before yourself, huh, Odango?"

"Preserving it for posterity," intoned Serena solemnly, smiling back up at him. "Go home, Darien. You look dead."

"Thanks a lot," muttered Darien. He glanced at Asanuma as he slid into the driver's seat. "No funny stuff, alright? It's a school night, and Odango Atama has a biology test tomorrow morning."

"Darieeeeeen!" Serena whined, but he ignored her.

Asanuma grinned. "Don't worry, Mr. Shields, I'll have your daughter home by three…"

"Ew." Serena wrinkled her nose.

Darien rolled his eyes and keyed the ignition. Asanuma, laughing, led Serena a couple of rows over.

"Wow," said Serena in awe, taking in the smooth silver curves of Asanuma's sports car. What was with the guys she knew and their fancy-schmany rides? "This is really…wow."

"Thanks," said Asanuma with a grin. He popped the trunk and helped her transfer her groceries from the cart to its interior. "She's sweet, isn't she? Almost as sweet as Serena-chan."

"Rei would shave my head bald if she heard you saying that."

Asanuma's frame tensed. Serena, sitting in the passenger seat beside him, watched his silhouette and waited for him to speak. When he did not, she sighed.

"C'mon, Numa. You're going to have to talk about her sometime. In fact, I assumed that that was why you offered to drive me home."

Asanuma's thumb pressed the windshield wiper button – thumb down, thumb up, thumb down, thumb up – so that the wipers _squeeshed_ across the windshield, then stilled, then _squeeshed_ across it again, then stilled, over and over again.

"How do you DO that?" he said finally.

"No offense, but you males kinda suck at the subtlety thing," answered Serena, still watching him carefully. "Do you _want _to talk about it, Numa?"

"I…" he started, then licked his lips. "I just – I want someone to make it better, you know? To, like…I dunno, wave their magic wand and make it all fairy-tale perfect. Or…" he sighed. _Squeesh._ "Never mind."

"No, not never mind. Or what?" Serena had picked up some skill in persistence from Darien, and she was using it for all she was worth.

"Or make me stop liking her!" Asanuma burst out. " I – I thought it would go away. I thought…I don't know." Asanuma pressed the windshield wiper button again. _Squeesh._ "I always hoped – since we always seemed to fight whenever we talked – that there was something _there_, you know? Because – well, you and Dare go at each other all the time, and look at the two of you! But then, she went from being acerbic to just ignoring me, so, you know, I said, okay, I can take a hint. It's just some high school crush, anyways. There'll be other girls, Asanuma. I told myself it would go away, you know? But it didn't. It didn't," he repeated to himself in a flat voice.

Serena grabbed his hand from the windshield wiper button. He was facing away from her, but she gently pulled his face toward her with a grip on his ear. His eyes were distant, his mouth tight and his face lined.

Serena's heart tore. Why did everyone have to hurt so badly? Why was Luna doing this to all of them? Ami, shuffling alone and friendless through the school campus with her eyes on the ground as though afraid to meet anyone's eyes. Rei, stalking around with her stony face, caustic words, and miserable eyes. Why were they doing this to _themselves_? To the ones they loved?

Something had to change. Life couldn't go on like this. Determination flooded Serena's veins.

"Listen to me," she said fiercely, her eyes boring into Asanuma's hazel ones. "It WILL get better. Okay? I promise you, Asanuma, things _will_ change."

Asanuma brought his eyes back into focus and gave her a smile. It was tight and controlled and sad. Without belief.

"Sure it will," he said, and ruffled Serena's blonde hair. "Of course it will, Serena-chan."

* * *

"Girls," Luna said as a familiar brunette wearing a green Senshi fuku emerged from the trees, "meet Sailor Jupiter." 

Lita lifted an eyebrows at the cat's flair for dramatics. The little rodent had approached her not long after Serena and Darien left, and urged her to follow her if she wanted information about the Sailor Senshi. Having no reasons not to – what could a cat do to her, after all? – she followed. Maybe the cat would be able to teach her how to use her powers s that she could keep Motoki and Serena from getting hurt like they had today.

Now, she found herself standing mere meters away from Serena's two ex-best friends.

Hmmm.

"Luna," said the blue-haired girl – the one who had tried to cram all that crap about Serena down Lita's throat. "That's – that's the girl you wanted me to follow."

_How polite of you to talk about me as though I'm not even here. _Lita felt a flame of irritation lick her. _And why were they following me?_

"Yes, I'm aware of that, Ami," countered the black cat. "Just because I'm in my feline form doesn't mean my brain's any smaller than your ponderous one."

"I – I just – why is she here?" Ami kept her eyes studiously away from Lita as she spoke, and she did not meet the cat's eyes, either. Lita was irresistibly reminded of the pariahs they had learned about in World History, the "untouchables" of ancient Indian society who were not allowed to make eye contact with members of higher castes.

"Well, as you can see, Miss Know-It-All, she's one of you."

What a bitch, thought Lita. She wasn't about to up and defend the blue-haired kid, though – not after all that crap she'd spewed about Serena.

"Great. She's one of us." The black-haired girl spoke up for the first time. "So what?"

"So what?" Luan bristled. "_So what?_ This is EXTREMELY important, Rei – Jupiter's appearance means that Venus will soon appear, at which time we will be able to properly deal with Sailor Moon!"

_Oh, so I'm not even important for my own merit. I'm just the harbinger of the arrival of someone more important. Thanks._

A strangled sound escaped the blue-haired girl. The black-haired one thwacked her in the leg with her broom. "Shut _up_, Ami."

Lita frowned at this battery, but chose to ignore it. If the geek girl wanted to defend herself, she could get up and do it herself. Lita had her own butt to take care of right now.

"Are you planning on explaining any of this to me?" she said to the cat crossing her arms. "Lightning was shooting out of my fingers an hour ago. I'd like to know WHY."

"Watch your tone," said the cat sharply. "And treat me with some respect. I'll explain when I think that it is time. It's not your decision."

Lita blinked. _Oh, no. She did _not _just say that._

Lita grabbed the cat by her tail and lifted her up in the air. As Luna's hair shot up straight and her hackles rose, Lita bent to make eye contact with her.

"Let's get one thing straight, kitty. I'm six feet taller than you. My foot is bigger than your little skull. You are _not_ my mother. Got it?"

"_You_…are out of line," hissed Luna dangerously. "Rei! Have her unhand me this instance!"

"Hey, I wouldn't mind some answers myself," said the dark-haired girl coolly crossing her arms. "Do enlighten us while you're hanging there, Luna."

"I've told you everything that it is important for you to know," said Luna. "I told you that we have to wait until the last of your number arrives."

"Why?"

"Whoah, whoah, whoah." Lita stepped in. "Before you guys get into your fight, why don't one of you explain to me the basics? Like, why is this skirt so freaking short?"

"Ami," sad Rei in a bored voice.

Ami hunched closer to her computer and typed a couple of keys. There was a whirring noise, and then a hologram materialized on the sidewalk between them. It was a recording of Luna from when she first explained to them what their duties were as Senshi: to find the Moon Princess and her Crystal, both of whom had been sealed away when the Moon Kingdom was massacred a millennium ago by the Dark Kingdom.

When the recording was finished and the hologram disappeared, Lita gaped at the patch of sidewalk for a moment. Then she finally spoke. "What a load of bull."

Luna hissed.

"If it's such bull, then how do you explain the lightning that came out of your fingers?" said Rei, examining her fingernails.

Lita shrugged. "Okay, so you've got me there. But…you've got to admit, this is really weird. Don't you have any…proof?"

"What about my hologram?" asked Ami quietly. "No technology yet created here on Earth is capable of such a three-dimensional projection."

"Uh…I need something more solid. Technology isn't really my forte." Lita paused. "Who ARE you broads, anyway?"

Instead of answering her with words, Rei fished a pen out of hr pocket. Ami followed suit.

"MARS POWER!"

"Mercury power…"

When Lita's light-dazzled eyes cleared of spots, Rei and Ami stood before her in fukus identical to the one she was wearing – barring the color schemes, that is.

"That proof enough?" inquired Rei. "I'm Mars, she's Mercury."

"So you're Mars…and you're Mercury… " Lita frowned. "If you guys are both here, then where's Sailor Moon?"

* * *

Darien watched from beneath his bangs as Asanuma's slick silver Mustang pulled out of the grocery store parking lot. When he was sure neither of its passengers – or any passers-by – would be able to se him, he quickly began to transfer his groceries from the car trunk to his Sub-space pocket. It wouldn't do to leave the milk and frozen pizza an all those other must-have-refrigeration goods in the car trunk while he followed Asanuma and Serena. 

When all the groceries had been put in his Sub-Space pocket, Darien eyed his car thoughtfully. Perhaps it, too, would fit in his Sub-Space pocket, and then he wouldn't have to find a way to come back for it?

He decided not to risk it. Instead, he ducked beneath it to transform, then followed Asanuma's car, leaping from light pole to light pole.

* * *

Luna hissed again. Lita glared at the hairy little rat. What she wouldn't give to be able to stick a chopstick up its furry little butt… 

"Sailor Moon," said Sailor Mars, slowly and with exaggerated diction, "has betrayed us and joined the Dark Kingdom."

Ah. So that was why the kitty-cat was so mad.

"However," continued Mars, "we hoped that Sailor Moon might already have confided this in you. Ami told us that you've been spending a lot of time with her."

"Huh? With who?"

"With Sailor Moon."

"Sorry, to burst your bubble, but I've never even laid eyes on Sailor Moon, much less _talked _to her."

Rei's face turned ugly suddenly. "You're with her, aren't you? She's already turned you to their side!"

"Look, kid, I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" retorted Lita, getting angry herself. Who did these people think they were? Other than the protectors of the universe! "The only girl I hang out with is Serena, and if you think she'd ever betray _anyone_, you need to check yourself into Bellevue!"

Lna yowled and swiped a clawed paw at Lita's arm. It shredded the skin inside her elbow, but she ignored it, watching the two Senshi.

"Ami?" said Re shortly, eyes burning into Lita's. "Hologram, please."

The clacking of keys followed. Then Serena's image appeared, wearing her school uniform. Her arm punched the air, and lights shot every which way as ribbons materialized around Serena's body and coalesced into the red, white, and blue fuku of the Champion of Love and Justice, Sailor Moon.

"No way," said Lita hoarsely. "No way." _Why didn't she tell me? Didn't she trust me? DIDN'T SHE TRUST ME?_

"_Now _do you believe us?" demanded Sailor Mars. "Serena's Sailor Moon, and she turned traitor!"

"Serena…turned traitor," Lita repeated slowly, as though tasting the words on her tongue.

* * *

Minako looked around the sparse, foreign room. The bed was white, the walls were white, the furniture was fake wood. Terra had certainly dropped its standards since the last time she had been here. 

_Of course it has. It's been a thousand years, Minako. What did you expect?_

She felt like crying. Her insides were all tangled up, her stomach knotted as though she was having cramps.

Beryl had given her an ultimatum. _"Tell me where the princess is and I'll give you Malachite. If you refuse to tell me where she is, I'll still let you go, but he stays with me."_

It was an insanely benevolent ultimatum. One that had made Sailor Venus' insides squirm with suspicion. But what was she to do? Commit suicide before even trying to find her princess and sisters-in-arms?

As if.

So here she was, in the apartment – that was the word they had used for it, right? – that Beryl had provided for her, hanging up the clothes that Beryl's disguised youma had bought for her, and getting ready for tomorrow, when she would attend the school that Beryl had enrolled her in. It was a strange feeling, being mothered and taken care of by the woman who had killed your family and friends and beat you into a corpse.

A strange feeling that made Venus want to gag and choke and bleed and die.

But that was not the Senshi way. Without Beryl's help, she had no way to track down her fellow Senshi and protect the princess. Even if Beryl was undoubtedly planning to use it to her advantage when Minako _did_ find her sisters, it would be okay.

Minako had faith in her sisters. Though she was the leader, they were the backbone. Mercury's amazing intellectual prowess would concoct a plan for them in no time, and Mars' familiarity with the spiritual plane would easily locate the princess. And Jupiter – Minako could not wait to see Jupiter again! Her favorite sparring opponent and closest Senshi sister. Minako would not be surprised if Jupiter was already with the princess.

"Minako."

Minako spun. The content, reassured smile that had graced her face as she thought of her sisters vanished.

Because the threads were tangling.

"I told you," she said, voice steadier than she felt. "I don't know where Her Highness is. I have nothing more to say to _your queen_."

"No, Minako…" Malachite knelt before her. "Please, Mi, don't look at me with those eyes."

"With what eyes?" said Mina. "These ones that spill over with hatred for your betrayal? These ones that fill with tears because I loved you and now I hate you, and neither way can I be free?"

Malachite laughed, but it was a sad, heavy sound. "You're sounding like those novels you like to read, darling. Talk with your heart, not your romanticism. Please?"

"If I spoke from my heart, your ears would be blistered," Minako told him scathingly. "I won't dirty my mouth with the words that describe you."

"I don't want this." Malachite reached for her. It was as though he had tugged on the string; she stumbled a few steps closer to him, going to her knees, too. Close enough that if she reached out, her fingers would brush his fine, flaxen mane. "I don't want this, Mi, I never, ever thought something like this would happen – "

"I killed him for you," interrupted Minako abruptly. "I_ cut off his head_, and – and – and – Luna will never, ever forgive me, and I'll never forgive myself, but it was that or kill you, and then I would die, too, and then who would protect the princess? I hate myself. I hate the bond I had – have – with her. I wouldn't have had to kill him if it weren't for that bond, I could have killed us, but at the same time, I betrayed her by killing him, too, and none of it worked out anyways, and now here we are like this, and - and – and I just want to go back," she ended in a whisper.

_Pluto, let me go back, please, I know I'm a coward, but I can't do this, I don't _want _to do this…_

"You know what, Minako?" Malachite's head was bowed, propped against her shoulder. "I love you. I don't show it very well, what with letting you kill Artemis and letting Beryl keep you trapped for a thousands years…" Minako laughed a little in spite of herself, and felt his returning smile. "But I do. And that's why I'm here." He paused. "Beryl doesn't know I'm here."

Silence settled over the two. Dim light from the street below spilled in, but the majority of the room remained dark.

"Your hair's grown out," murmured Minako after a while, sifting some of its through her fingers.

"Mmm."

"Why didn't you cut it? Do you like it like this?"

Malachite raised his head and looked her in the eye. "Mi, until six days ago, I was still under Beryl's brainwashing. Then I remembered who you were, and I was being driven crazy with worry. Cutting my hair has not been one of my top priorities these past thousand years."

"You'd think it would have grown longer in a millennium," mused Minako aloud, twirling some of the platinum fibers around her fingers. "You want me to cut it for you?"

"And come out looking like a sheep?" Malachite laughed. "I think I'll pass."

Minako rested her head in the crook of his neck, and chuckled to herself as his long hair curtained her vision. It was different, certainly, but maybe not such a bad thing.

Malachite's fingers stroked her hair, and her eyes floated shut. Maybe everything would work out after all...

* * *

"Serena. A traitor?" Lita snorted, laughing. "Yeah, right." 

"This is no laughing matter, Sailor Jupiter!" shrilled Luna. "Sailor Moon is a serious threat to us and our princess, and the blood of many is on her hands! She must be Dealt with – and she _will_ be, when your sister arrives!"

"How do you know she betrayed you?" demanded Lita. "Where's your proof?"

"The proof?" Luna's spine arched. "I'll give you the proof! The fact that I'm alone right now, instead of with my husband! The fact that our princess is dead instead of here and safe! The fact that I'm stuck with you bunch of _brainless, spineless_ ninnies instead of the _true _Sailor Senshi. That," she sneered, "is your proof, Sailor Jupiter. Now put me _down_. We have work to do."

"Why do you keep calling me Sailor Jupiter?" Lita regarded her coolly for a moment. "Do you even know my real name?"

Luna glared at her. It was a moment before she said, "Your civilian names have no purpose. They are disguises, nothing more. I have no use for them."

Lita looked at her disgustedly, then tossed the animal into the bushes. "You don't know it." Then she turned on her heel and walked away, a tall figure melting into the night.

* * *

"One of you follow her!" Luna hissed. "Mars, you! Follow to see where she's going, then return back here and report." 

Mars glowered but leapt off. Like a shadow, she wove in and out of the streets after Sailor Jupiter. She soon realized that they were heading into Serena's neighborhood. Luna was not going to be happy…

Mars froze.

There. In Serena's driveway. A silvery sports car. Asanuma's silvery sports car.

Asanuma's silvery sports car, which Serena was stepping out of.

Mars spun. She ran. As silent and insubstantial as a shadow.

* * *

Lita landed in the tree beside Serena's house. She crouched there as Asanuma helped Serena cart her groceries inside, then left. She was about to detransform and jump down to talk to Serena when she heard leaves rustling beside her. Then something cold touched her throat. 

"Shove off, Shields," she said dangerously, eyeing the tuxedo-clad teen out of the corner of her eye. "I'm not in the mood."

"Guess what? Neither am I." But he retracted the blade. "Why are you here?"

"… I wanted to keep an eye on Serena. After all the stuff that happened today, I don't want those Dark Kingdom goons coming after her." She was only half-lying.

"So now you know they're called the Dark Kingdom?" An eyebrow was lifted above the mask. "How did you acquire that bit of information?"

"Serena's talked about them," Lita lied.

He seemed to accept this. "That blabbermouth," he said, but it was not unkindly. If it had been, she would have punched his pretty teeth out.

"What are _you_ here for?" she challenged.

"I don't see that it's any of your business."

"Hmm, unchaperoned bundle of hormones with superpowers lurking outside the bedroom of a young teenage girl. Noooo, I shouldn't be worried."

"I've said it's not like that," he hissed. "I'm just making sure none of those "goons," as you called them, show up."

"What's so important about Serena? Why would they come after her? She's just a civilian, isn't she?" _Do YOU trust me enough to tell me the truth? Do you?_

"There's things you don't know about Serena," Tuxedo Mask said steadily. "Whether she reveals them to you or not is none of my business. But God knows that she needs someone to watch over her."

"And I can do that tonight."

Tuxedo Mask's expression was incredulous. "Think again."

"Have you been doing this every night? You look like you have. If you don't get some sleep, she's going to figure out what you've been doing. I'm giving you the chance to go catch some shut-eye."

Shields took his time deliberating. At long last, he sighed. "God only knows why, but I trust you. More than Asanuma anyways," he added in a flippant aside.

"Do you, really?" The words came out before Lita could stop them. She schooled her face into an expression of nonchalance in a last-ditch effort to retains some of her dignity.

Tuxedo Mask eyed her. "Yeah. I do. And so does Serena. Just in case you were in doubt." He dropped down to the ground, cape flapping.

"But then," he muttered to himself so that only the wind could hear, "who _doesn't_ Serena trust?"

The tree leaves stirred as though in laughter.

* * *

When Rei returned to the temple, she said shortly, "She went to Moon's house," before stalking inside the shrine and slamming the door behind her. 

Luna hissed impotently and bounded off to only God knows where. Thanks goodness for small mercies.

Ami stood and broke into a run. Sweat beaded on her forehead despite the cool night breeze as she pounded down the city streets. She had to reach home before Mother did…she had forgotten to clear the message box before she left for the temple, and the juku had left another message saying that she had been absent yet again. If her mother heard it…

She hurriedly unlocked the door. The hallway was dark, as was the kitchen, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Then –

_Clink._

The lights switched on. Ami's eyes stung at the abrupt transition from darkness to light. She turned, unwillingly, to face her mother.

Steam billowed from the mug of tea in Dr. Mizuno's hands. She took a sip from it, as though fortifying herself, then crossed the kitchen to press the blinking message button on the answering machine.

"_Dr. Mizuno, this is Ihara Tutetsu from the Kuritusaru Juku calling. Ami was absent again today. She has not been in class for the past two weeks, nor have you returned any of the messages that I have left daily for the past week. Unless you contact me today with a valid excuse for Ami's absences, she will be discharged from the juku. Good night._"

"Mama – Mama, I – I c-c-can explain," Ami stammered.

"Two weeks you've been skipping juku?" Dr. Mizuno slammed her coffee down on the table, and its scalding contents sloshed over the rim, hissing as it hit the tablecloth. "Can you explain why I haven't received any of Tutetsu-san's messages, Ami? A freak loss of power every day at the same time? Sunspots? Aliens deleting my messages? Little girls teleporting from their boarding schools to delete my messages, then teleporting back? What cock and bull story do you have for me this time?"

"I – Mama…" Ami couldn't help it any longer. She burst into tears. They had lost anther Senshi. Someone who could've been her friend…but Jupiter had looked at her like was a worm. The contempt in her eyes…would no one ever love her? She _wanted _to care about her life, she _wanted _to be afraid in battles! Instead, she cowered away from her own mother…how pathetic was she?

_I hate myself I hate myself I hate myself I hate myself I hate_

"I'm sick of you!"

Ami covered her ears, pressed herself against the wall, sniffling, nose running like a two-year-old. This never would have happened to Serena. Everyone loved Serena. She wished, for her mother's sake, that Serena had been Dr. Mizuno's daughter. Serena was someone Dr. Mizuno could be proud of. Maybe everyone would have been happier if Serena had been Dr. Mizuo's daughter. Maybe everyone would have been happier if Ami hadn't been born at all.

Rei wouldn't be sobbing in a corner like this, either. She would have done something. Made her mother stop. She would have transformed and used her fire to teach her mother a lesson.

"I'm sick of all this melodrama. You know better than this, Ami. If you don't shape up, you're going on the meds and back to the old school. Understand?"

Ami nodded, again and again. Tears dripped down her nose like water from a melting icicle.

* * *

Darien reappeared an hour before school, fresh as a daisy, in his freshly-ironed (and washed) blazer and school shirts to relieve Lita. He gave her a tight nod of thanks and watched her disappear before ringing Serena's doorbell. 

_Ring._

No answer.

_Ring._

No answer.

Darien sighed and grinned to himself. Oh, well, she had asked for it.

_Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring!_

SLAM!

"WHAT?" came Serena's voice. He peered around the corner of the house to se her tousled golden head poking out of her window.

"Time for school, Odaaaaaangooooo!" he sang. Then he blinked. What was he doing? Look what one good night's sleep had done to him! He had turned into Asanuma! He made a mental memo to himself never to sleep more than four hours straight again.

"Oh my God, I've got to be dreaming," muttered Serena, obviously thinking along the same lines as him. "Asanuma, why are you dressed up as Darien? And why are you calling me Odango? Darien's the only one allowed to do that."

Darien's grin returned. "Is that so?"

"Duh," yawned Serena.

"Why's that?" asked Darien slyly. Then he blanched again. Sly! That was a word to be used for Asanuma, not him! He REALLY needed some coffee…if Serena would hurry up and get dressed, they might have time to stop at the arcade before school… "Odango, come ON!"

"I'm…coming…" Serena yawned, then fell asleep again, hanging half out of the window.

"Good Lord…" Darien rolled his eyes; then, after glancing around, leapt up to home-sweet-tree-branch and into Serena's room, pulling her inside. "I don't know how you made it to fifteen without me here to keep an eye on you all those years. There's gotta be someone watching over you."

Serena snored on. Darien frowned and looked around. Spotting a glass of water on her nightstand, he picked it up and up-ended it over her head.

"APPSSHULUPP!" Spluttering, Serena jerked awake, water dripping down her bangs into her eyes and down her cheeks. "Rain?" Her sleep-smoky eyes landed on Darien. "DARIEN!"

Quite familiar with the look in her eyes, Darien grabbed his bag and ran.

"I hope you fall down the stairs and stub your toe!" she yelled after him, then slammed her door.

Grinning Darien clambered down the stairs and into the kitchen. A glance at the clock convinced him that there was still timE for breakfast, so he got cracking.

Still yawning, Serena shuffled into the kitchen a few minutes later. "Are any f my bobby pins in here?" she asked, peering around and opening various drawers to riffle around in them.

"There's about fifty trillion of them in your room on the floor," Darien informed her.

"Oh." She wandered back up the stairs like a bunny sniffing out its food, her head bent towards the ground as she hunted for bobby pins.

Darien smiled again. Serena was definitely not at her best in the morning.

Minutes later, Serena zoomed into the kitchen, her hair up in its usual odangoes.

"What's that smell?" she demanded, chest heaving up and down as she panted in the doorway.

"Smell?" echoed Darien innocently, standing in front of the stove and concealing it from her sight. She craned her head to the left, and he moved to the right to block her; she craned her head right and he leaned left.

"ARGH! Darien, what it is?" Serena pleaded. "I'm really, really, hungry! I didn't even eat any ice cream last night before I went to bed, I just had a bag of popcorn!"

"Popcorn, hmm? Did you and Asanuma stay up late last night watching mushy Lifetime movies like you promised him you would?"

"No. Thbbbbb." Serena crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at him. "I studied for biology. You should be proud of me."

"I_ am_ proud of you."

"How proud?" Serena jumped suddenly to see over his shoulder. He was a tad too slow in moving to hide the contents of the plates, and she squealed. "PANCAKES! YUM!"

She tried to dart past him to grab them, but Darien put a hand on her forehead and pushed her backwards. "Get some silverware and syrup," he directed her, picking up the plates and carrying them to the table.

"Whose house is whose?" grumbled Serena, but she did as he said and dove into her chair, napkin tucked in her collar like a bib. "READY!" She looked at Darien expectantly.

"Review first. Name the phases of mitosis in order."

Serena sighed. "You always have to make me work for things, don't you?"

"Hey, I could make you answer a question before every bite…"

"Nononononononono! Interphaseprophasemetaphaseanaphasetelophase!"

"Well, we know you don't need any extra sugar." Darien muttered to himself, then pushed the stack of pancakes toward her. "Eat up."

"Finally!" Serena dug in.

They finished breakfast with ten minutes to spare before the bell rang, which was plenty of time for a leisurely walk to school. Darien insisted on quizzing Serena as they walked, which she was not at all happy about at first, but he placated her by conjuring a rose for her every time she got a question right. (Luckily, there were few other people on the street to witness these goings-on.) Then Serena started making a huge show out of answering in different accents.

"During which type of reproduction is a zygote formed?" Darien read off Serena's review sheet.

"Ooh, ooh, I'm all over this one! Guess who I am." Serena cleared her throat. "Ze zygotes are formed during _zexual _reproduction, which 'appens a lot on ze _metro_ in – " She only got that far before bursting into gales of laughter.

Darien conjured another rose, clutching his sides as he stuck it into the huge bouquet she was already carrying. "Between ze senior citizens!" he added, gasping with breathless laughter. "_Ils sont chauds!_"

The first bell rang as they arrived at school. Darien walked Serena to class, then raced off to his own. Serena sat down in her desk, then shot up as she remembered that she had left her math binder in her locker. She sprinted out of the room, to her locker, spun the combination into her lock, then raced back – and the bell rang just as she was turning a corner.

She let out a groan, her eyes fluttering shut in defeat, and then –

_BOOOO-OOOMMMM._

Serena fell backwards on her butt clutching her nose. "Owww…"

"Great Serenity! Are you alright?"

Fireworks exploded behind Serena's eyelids. Those words – _Serenity…_

A hand clasped her wrist, and she opened her eyes. The feeling of deja-vu mutated into something else…

Blue eyes blinked down at her. "Are you alright?"

Serena nodded slowly. "Yeah…"

"Thank goodness!" The girl's face, so close to her, stretched in a smile. "I'm Minako. Minako Aino. Pleased to meet you!"

* * *

**A/N**: Ah! Finally done – now it's time to go work on my English satire… (shuffles off to meet her doom)…wish I could use Asanuma in it… 

_Ils sont chauds_ – this isn't proven, but according to my French teacher, it means, "_They are horny_."

To Nimbirosa and Wren Truesong: God, I love Kakera ni Tsukikari. Just thinking about that story lights a candle in myheart – very handy during those dark mornings on the school bus when winter vacation seems so far away. Just reading it is enough to make me believe that there really are such things as soulmates in this world. TO MY READERS: if you haven't read Kakera ni Tsukikari, go NOW and do so, or I will kill off Asanuma! (Asanuma: WHAT? Don't kill me! Take Toki!) (P.S. I'm sorry I haven't rev'd Chapter 4 yet. I've read it, and t's AWESOME, please forgive me for not having tiem to review yet.. (puppy face)

To Serenity-hime: please please please please PLEASE update The Longest Vacation ever! I keep thinking about Mamoru watching Usagi in DDR and all those boys going cray over her (God, that was hilarious), and I thirst for more! Onegaaaaiiiii, hime-sama!


	26. Thought You Knew Me?

A/N: I'm not really pleased with this chapter. That's part of the reason my update is so late… Anyways, I decided to just get it over with and post this part since it's rather essential to the plot. (Translation: Not much humor or fluff, darn it.) Hopefully now that this is out of the way, we can get to some good stuff.

Again, myriad apologies, darlings. Ooh, and anyone who's a fan of Wish-chan and doesn't know, she's got a NEW CHAPTEEEEEEEEEEEER!

Disclaimer:

Sailor Moon does make me swoon,

but I'd be a swine if I called it mine.

* * *

Subject to Change

Chapter Twenty-Six: Thought You Knew Me?

* * *

_"Thank goodness!" The girl's face, so close to her, stretched in a smile. "I'm Minako. Minako Aino. Pleased to meet you!"_

Principal Waishatsu, who stood beside Minako, made a sound of disapproval. "Come along, on your feet, Miss Tsukino. I have pressing matters to tend to after I finish showing Miss Aino around, and _you_'re late – _again_."

Serena let out a wail. "Noooo – not detention AGAIN!"

"You know, Miss Tsukino," said Principal Waishatsu suddenly. "How about this? I'll write you a pass to class if you finish showing Miss Aino around campus."

"Done!" Serena agreed eagerly, grabbing her principal's hand and pumping it eagerly. "Shall we spit on it?"

"Ah…" Principal Waishatsu wore an expressions of distaste.

"Just kidding!" Serena chirped, letting go of him and latching onto Mina's arm instead. "Come on, Aino-san!"

The two blondes zoomed off. Serena did not bring them to a halt until they were two hallways away from Principal Waishatsu. Then she grinned, not even panting.

"Wow! That was close!"

Minako felt some chagrin at her own panting. Granted, she had been technically dead for some hundreds of years, but she was still a Senshi. She should still be in better shape than a mere _Terran_…

"Thanks for showing up when you did! I would have been toast without you – my name's Serena, by the way. Serena Tsukino!"

"_Really_? Serena? What a beautiful name!"

Minako spoke the words cordially and with a smile, but she was examining the Terran before her in the same way she did a threat: warily. So this was the being who called herself Sailor Moon and had allied herself with the as-yet-unknown quantity that was Tuxedo Mask. According to what Malachite had told her, this girl had called herself the Senshi's leader in this time until the battle with the youma Psychotica.

Not only did Minako's blood boil at the very thought of some alien calling herself the leader of _her _Senshi; she was also deeply disturbed by other facets of the entire situation.

The first was Sailor Moon herself. No Sailor Moon had ever existed in all the history of the Silver Millennium _or_ in the histories of the kingdoms preceding it. For as long as there had been a Moon Kingdom, there had never been a Sailor Moon. It was an idea that had been suggested several times by several different factions of several different Parliaments. A Senshi of the Moon would supposedly not only magnify the power of the Crystal, but it would also provide an extra guard for the princess – a guard who, furthermore, would not hold obligations on other planets that would require her to leave the princess' side.

However, it was pointed out that a Senshi of the moon would have to be indoctrinated in the using of the Silver Crystal, as that was the only significant magick of Lunarians. And the very idea of that was pure heresy! Only Selene's line had ever been and would ever be allowed to guide and use the sacred crystal's power. The Goddess herself had decreed that it would be so, and defiance of her will would undoubtedly lead to ghastly consequences.

Furthermore, argued opponents of the creation of a Lunarian Senshi, only those of Selene's line were pure enough to channel the crystal's power. If one without Selene's blood in her veins was allowed to taste the crystal's power, they would begin to crave its power for their own, and might kill the royal line in order to obtain it.

What if this was what Sailor Moon was after?

Needless to say, the existence of a self-proclaimed Moon Senshi unsettled Minako greatly.

Because Sailor Moon had killed several youma on her own, Minako was forced to dismiss the possibility that she was just a Terran playing dress-up. No Terran had that power save their damned prince or the Shittenou, and the girl standing before her was definitely not any of them.

So was she a minion of Beryl's that Minako was not aware of?

It was the only explanation Minako could come up with. And it meant that until proven otherwise, Sailor Moon was an enemy. And if she was an enemy, then her ally, the equally mysterious and also unheard-of-in-the-Moon-Kingdom's-history Tuxedo Mask was also an enemy.

Yet according to the battle-by-battle account that Malachite had given her, Sailors Mars and Mercury had fought alongside both Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. And not just once but for several months!

Minako found it impossible to believe that hyper-sensitive Mars or sharp, brainy Mercury would work so willingly with someone they thought to be enemies. And they must have truly believed that Moon and Mask were not enemies, for Mars was not only the most suspicious person Minako had ever met; she also had the wisdom of the spirit plane to augment her naturally keen intuition.

So Mercury and Mars must have known something that Malachite and Beryl did not. Minako trusted her Senshi; she knew that they did not do anything without reason. Everything they had done so far must have only been for the good of their princess. And until she could find them and until they could tell her why exactly they had worked for so long with Moon and Mask, she would not worry.

The galaxy might have changed, her Kingdom might have crumbled, and Malachite may have betrayed his Prince, but the princess's Senshi were forever.

* * *

To Serena's disappointment, her and Minako's tour lasted only half an hour. Though part of her disappointment stemmed from the fact that this meant she still had to go to English class, the rest of it was because she was genuinely loath to leave Minako's company.

Lively and alert, Minako peppered Serena with questions about everything from school to her favorite color. Serena cheerfully answered all of them, returning Minako's interest with many questions of her own – "do you like stuffed animals? What about vegetables? What was your old school like? Your father taught you? That's cool! But you didn't get to talk to many hot guys then, huh? Do you like manga? You've never read any? No way! Just wait, I'll bring you one tomorrow, you'll love it, I promise!"

Serena noticed that Minako's voice had rather strange inflections, like an accent. She also noticed that she didn't use slang or contractions frequently, and when she did, they sounded forced. But that only made her more eager to learn where Minako had come from for her voice to sound so courteous and princess-y.

"What language are you taking?" she asked her. "English? Your accent sounds like I always thought an English one would. What grade are you in anyways, Minako-chan?" She bounced up on her heels to peek at the paper in Minako's hands. "3C! You're with Toki and Darien and Numa! Lucky!"

"You are familiar with them, I take it?"

"Yup! They're awesome! Just wait till you meet Numa, he'll crack you up! And Toki – " Serena paused, her cheery expression faltering for a split second before being tacked firmly back into place. "Toki's not here today, but he's really nice, too. He's one of the best cooks ever. So! Let's find your next class!"

Serena led Minako across the courtyard towards the math hallway. "Thanks again fro saving me today. I would have been so dead if you hadn't shown up, and I don't think I could have stood another day in detention. After all, it's Friday!"

"It was no trouble at all," replied Minako, inclining her head graciously. "Thank _you_ for leading me around your academy. It was…a quite enlightening walk."

"You're welcome…" Serena smiled and scuffed her foot shyly against the floor. "Hey, Minako…do you want to eat lunch with me and my friends today? I really think you'd like my friend Lita – "

"Actually, I have to find someone during lunch," replied Mina. She smiled down at Serena. "One of my mother's friend's daughters. She asked me to track her down today. Thank you for the offer, though."

"Oh. Well, it's always open!" Serena said sincerely. "Who are you looking for? Maybe I could help you find them!"

"Thank you again, but no," said Mina. Her eyes were slightly unfocused, and a huge grin stretched across her face. "I know exactly where she eats lunch."

* * *

_Minako sighed and shifted uncomfortably on her throne, then sighed again. The boredom of court life was overwhelming. This was why she hated coming home from the Moon every summer. Whereas days on the moon with the other girls were spent studying challenging lessons that were nonetheless made hilarious by Mercury's quirky comments and the princess' nonsensical mnemonic devices for remembering battles and wars, days on Venus were spent alone on the throne with only the courtiers to keep her company. And they were all too busy trying to a.) catch her attention so that she would choose them as consort or b.) watching her every move like hawks so that they could imitate her gestures and ways of dressing._

_"Your Majesty?"_

_Minako sighed again._

_"Your Majesty? Princess Venus!"_

_Minako straightened with a start. She was so used to it being _her_ princess that was referred to by that title, not herself… "Yes?"_

_"The next supplicant is here. May I show her in?"_

_Minako smiled politely. "Of course."_

_Another citizen of the kingdom here to ask for help in resolving some conflict. Splendid. This was why she wished that Venus had courts to settles disputes like most of the other planets did. Only the planets Venus and Mars did not have judicial courts. On Mars, it was practical not to have them (their Elders could traverse the spiritual plane to detect lies and follow the correct path of action), but on Venus, it was a mere matter of tradition. Venusians preferred to muck down their monarch in their daily doings. That was why Minako usually ended up performing at least four marriage ceremonies a day._

_The doors at the end of the throne room opened. A figure in a long, bulky robe and a veil, uncommon on Venus, where females liked to flaunt their features, entered. She made her way down the crimson carpet with a brisk, clipping pace that Minako knew quite well._

_"Mercury!" she cried, jumping up from her throne. She spared a glance for all the courtiers. "Go! Flirt outside or something! Leave us!"_

_With murmurs, some disgruntled and other pleased, the ocean of young people drained from the room, and the robed figure pulled down her veil. Sailor Mercury's pale, pointed features were revealed beneath, curved in that pixie-ish grin she so often wore._

_"Guess what I have invented!" she announced proudly, climbing out of the robe as well. Beneath it, she wore her Senshi fuku. (She was still officially on duty, unlike Minako, as Mercury's season of celebration – winter – was not for a couple more rotations.) "Prepare to be shocked and amazed!"_

_"Would you like a drum roll?" teased Minako. "How'd you get here? You're supposed to be on the moon!"_

_"And here we find that Venus' infamous reputation for hospitality is undeserved," commented Sailor Mercury to the air. "Don't you love me anymore, V-babe?"_

_"Of _course _I love you!" Venus declared passionately, throwing her arms around her friend. "I'm the Goddess Of love – I have no choice."_

_"Hmph." Sailor Mercury sniffed, still pretending to be miffed. "Well, since I'm the Senshi of Mercury, then I have no choice but to give you the cold shoulder."_

_The throne room rang with laughter._

* * *

"Hey, guys." Asanuma plopped down beside Serena and Darien under the oak tree. "Where's Lita?"

"She said she had to work on some homework," explained Serena. "So she's going to the library."

"Oh." Asanuma shrugged and dug into his lunch.

Serena's eyes flicked towards Darien. He looked back with a frown. His thoughts ran along the same lines as hers, she could see. Was Lita perhaps avoiding them because of what had happened yesterday?

"Wow." Asanuma's voice brought their eyes shifting back to him. He was staring down at his mashed potatoes. "Lunch is really…quiet without Toki."

"It's true," said Darien, looking a little bit lost himself. He picked at the label on his bottle of Mountain Dew. Serena wondered if he was thinking that even his soda didn't taste the same. She also wondered if he'd noticed that he had accidentally bought a Diet Mountain Dew instead of a regular one.

Serena sighed also, though. What a depressing lunch this was! And it had been such a nice morning, too…

"Who knew our lives were so Toki-centric?" Asanuma idly poured some of his milk into his mashed potatoes.

"He'd probably be quite pleased if he was here to see how much his absence affected us," agreed Darien with a wry lift of his lips.

"Nuh-uh," said Serena suddenly. "He'd feel really bad that we're so down in the dumps because of him."

"True," conceded Darien.

"We have to cheer up!" Serena jumped to her feet and pounded her fist in her palm. "For Toki!"

Darien smiled encouragingly at Serena, picking at the label of his Mountain Dew.

Asanuma swirled his mashed potatoes some more. "…"

Serena turned a dismayed expression to Darien.

"How about this?" said the dark-haired junior. "We'll go see Toki after school and see if we can persuade his mother to let him out of the house to grab some supper with us."

"Where?" asked Asanuma sourly. "The arcade's trashed."

"Actually, it's not. When I spoke with Mrs. Furuhata on the phone, she said that it should be up and running again by next week. But anyways, it's not like the arcade's the only place that sells food."

"Yeah!" Serena nodded eagerly, as much in an attempt to force herself to cheer up as to cheer up Asanuma. "We can…have a picnic! At the park!"

Darien groaned and looked at her. "What is with you and the park?" he demanded. "Why can't you choose someplace with air conditioning?"

"Hey," said Asanuma suddenly. Looking at the bored, glazed expression on his face, Darien was 90 certain that he had not heard a word they had just said. "I just remembered. Miss Lanai told me to tell you guys she wanted to talk to you today."

"Miss Lanai?" exclaimed Darien and Serena in unison. Another groan escaped Darien's throat. "Not her…"

"Come on," said Serena, grabbing her things with one hand and Darien's arm in the other. "The sooner we go, the sooner it's over with. Are you coming, Numa?"

Asanuma mutely shook his head.

* * *

Lita shifted once more in the uncomfortable wooden chair. Her inner Jiminy Cricket told her that this discomfort must be a sign that she should be in the courtyard talking to Serena, not hiding away in the library like the Mizuno wimp was.

But Lita squished the nagging Jiminy Cricket with her handy-dandy mental flyswatter. The only reason, she told herself, that she was so uncomfortable was because she was too damned tall for the chair.

And that was all.

Beneath these lies that Lita told herself, Lita knew that she really needed to talk to Serena. But…she couldn't. Much as she hated to admit it to herself, she was hurt. Serena hadn't trusted her enough to tell her – granted, Lita could see the sense in this. Why would you reveal such a tremendous secret to someone you'd known only a week? She herself would never have done it either, had she been in Serena's place.

But it still hurt. It stung like seawater in a cut.

And how could she even face Serena now? She now knew Serena's secret, but Serena didn't know that she knew. Lita didn't want to reveal to Serena that she knew, but she also did not trust herself not to blurt it out.

And she had the niggling certainty that Shields would somehow be able to tell that she knew Serena's secret. He was psychic, that one.

Despite herself, Lita found that she wished Motoki was there with her. He would be able to untangle the knot somehow.

Even as Lita thought this, she felt disgusted with herself. A week with a boyfriend and suddenly she could not get through a single day without him? Pathetic.

"Excuse me?"

The voice suddenly interrupted Lita's self-revulsion. She looked up, pushing some hair out of her eyes, and stiffened. Serena had found her…

No, wait. The blonde girl standing in front of her was not Serena.

She was blonde, yeah, but WAY taller than Serena. (In fact, she almost reached Lita's own five foot ten, which made Lita feel more kindly disposed towards her despite her toothpick-like build.) Plus, she wore her hair down, not in Serena's infamous buns.

"Yeah?" Lita grimaced at the sound of her own voice. It emerged from her throat rough and scratchy as sandpaper, as though she was a trucker who had just downed a beer.

"I don't…happen to look at all familiar to you, do I?" asked the blonde.

Lita's brows furrowed. "Well, since you brought it up," she said, leaning her chair back on two legs, "Yeah, you do."

For some inexplicable reason, a grin unfurled on the girl's flawless face. She stuck out a hand.

"Aino," she said. "Minako Aino. I'm a new student."

Amusedly, but with some wariness, Lita clasped the Serena-look-alike' hand in her own. "Lita Ki – "

The words were knocked from her tongue. Aino's hand had suddenly tightened around hers like an iron grip, practically cutting off her circulation.

" – no," finished Lita, a devilish grin appearing on her own face. She squeezed Aino's hand painfully hard, and felt the other's fingers tightening in response.

The two stared each other down for a moment, gritting their teeth and waiting to see who would back down first.

Neither did, and Aino threw a glance over her shoulder. Lita followed her eyes and saw the librarian, her back to them as she made copies.

In the time that Lita was thus distracted, the blonde swung tightly around the arm that was attached to Lita. Lita went flying over the girl's head, but just before she hit the ground, she hooked a foot around Aino's skinny ankle and sent her crashing heavily down on her back.

They lay there on the dusty carpet for a moment, panting. Then Minako pushed herself up on an elbow to grin at Lita.

Lita smirked back. "Surprise."

Minako rose lithely to her feet and offered Lita a hand. Lita, to her own surprise, took it. Minako hauled her to her feet.

"Now that we have completed our introductions," began the blonde, who Lita was beginning to think was just a wee bit off her rocker, "I need to ask a favor of you."

"Does it involve broken bones?" Lita found herself saying jokingly. Inwardly, she groaned. The same thing was happening with this chick as had happened with Serena. A couple of words exchanged and poof! Lita felt as though she had known her for life.

There must be something in the water, she thought to herself, shaking her head ruefully. Or maybe spending so much time with Serena and Toki has turned me soft.

Mina's smile widened. "Hopefully." She paused. "Do you know where I might locate Ami Mizuno?" She pronounced the word slowly, carefully.

Lita's mirth dimmed. "Sure." She jabbed a hand over her shoulder. "Nonfiction section. Why?"

"She and I are old friends. Very old friends. I've not laid eyes on her in years, and I thought I might surprise her. You will cooperate, won't you?"

"Ah. Okay." Lita nodded. Mina didn't seem like someone who would beat up a defenseless nerd…but you couldn't just assume things. Not the way things were today. Just look at Serena! She didn't seem like she could hurt a fly, much less a youma, but she did it on a regular basis.

"Bye, Lita Ki-no!" Minako bounced off.

Lita swiveled in her chair to watch the blonde go. Did Mina know what Ami did in her spare time? Probably not, if it had been such a long time since she last saw her.

She fingered the tabletop. Minako sure had reminded her of Serena…

* * *

Minako could barely contain her excitement as she approached the blue-haired maiden sitting at the table. Mercury's head was bent, shoulders hunched, over a pile of thick books. Researching ways to protect their princess, no doubt.

Events were unfolding more wonderfully than she could ever have expected. She had not expected to be reunited with Jupiter, but she had entered the library and voila! There she was, as lean and watchful as ever. Minako had felt some wariness at first: Malachite had told her that Sailor Jupiter had only recently shown herself, and it was still unknown whether she was with Mars and Mercury or the Moon imposter and the masked man.

But when her eyes locked with Jupiter's sparkling green ones, all of that had melted away, leaving behind only the love and affection she had always felt for her Senshi-sister. Pain and sadness had surfaced when Jupiter appeared not to recognize her, but she shoved the emotion away.

Their miniature spar had revealed that Jupiter's reflexes were as lightning-fast as ever (appropriate, considering her element), and here Mercury was poring over books in order to carry out the mission. If Mars was doing as well as her two sisters, then Beryl would be moondust within a week!

Minako slid into the chair across from Mercury's. She frowned, for now she saw that Mercury's blue head was far too close to her book to be reading it. She was – she was_ sleeping_!

Minako frowned thunderously – one of _her _Senshi, sleeping when there was a job to be done! – then forced herself to calm down. Mercury was probably quit worn out from all the fighting she had been doing… this was still not a valid excuse, though, pointed out Minako's mind. According to Malachite, Mercury had only thus far faced youma one at a time. In the old days, Mercury had been able to easily vanquish dozens of youma with a single attack.

Well, she could solve this conundrum by waking Mercury up.

So Minako did just that, poking Mercury hard in the side. She frowned when her soldier did not wake, and poked her once more. This time, Mercury shifted, but still resisted waking. She made a small sound of protest. Minako slammed one of the girl's books shut.

The sharp sound brought Mercury's head flying up. She let out a pitiful whimper. Minako's disgust was so great that it spilled out to be manifested on her face. First Mercury was sleeping while the princess was in danger, and now she was sniveling like a child!

The blue-haired maiden finally noticed Minako. Minako watched as her hand subtly pulled one of the heavy tomes towards her, hugging it to her chest like a shield.

"C-c-can…can I help you?" Mercury stuttered. Her voice was tiny and pleading. Its very weakness aroused a wolf-like bloodlust in Minako, a born warrior. Such feebleness should not be allowed to exist.

But…again, she forced herself to calm. It could very well be that Mercury was feigning. Such a weak façade would certainly prevent anyone from believing that she was a Senshi. Malachite had said that neither Mars nor Mercury knew that Beryl already knew their civilian identities.

Yes. Yes. Pretending to be a defenseless milksop in order to avert attention was certainly the sort of thing Mercury would do.

"Oh, yes!" Minako flashed Mercury a bright smile. Despite her bright expression, she felt a stab of pain within her. Like Jupiter, Mercury was apparently pretending not to recognize her. But…all the better. Mercury's strategic mind probably considered it too dangerous to reveal her connection to Minako. "I just enrolled here today – my name's Minako Aino."

"N-nice to meet you," said Ami in a slightly less trembly voice. "Umm…what are you doing in the library at lunch?"

"Oh, it's far too hot to be outside, don't you think?" replied Minako airily. "I much prefer it in here where it's cool. Is that why you're in here? You look like someone who wouldn't like being all sweaty."

"Oh, no, I hate the heat," Mercury agreed eagerly. A bit of color entered her cheeks; she straightened unconsciously. "I don't know how they stand it outside. It's even rather warm in here."

Minako, who could feel goosebumps all along her legs and arms, smiled and nodded. She had known that the subject of temperature would be a good icebreaker for conversation. Mercury _was_ the Senshi of Ice, after all…

* * *

"Why do you think Miss Lanai wants to see us?" Serena wondered aloud as she jogged to keep up with Darien's long strides.

"I don't know, but it better be good," groused Darien. "I was going to use the last ten minutes of class to cram for my history quiz."

Serena snorted. "As if you even need to study, Mr. Genius."

"I do when I haven't even read the chapter!" snapped Darien. Two spots of red burned angrily in his cheeks, then he paled. "Serena, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell– "

"No, it's okay!" Serena interrupted, also pale. "I shouldn't have made light of your worries like that, it was really selfish of me – "

Silence swallowed them.

_Apparently, _thought a nasty voice in the back of Darien's mind, _You do need more than five hours of sleep. Moron._

They reached Miss Lanai's door. It was closed, and Serena hung back. Darien opened the door wordlessly. Serena cast up a timid, almost frightened glance at him – he opened his mouth to say something, anything – but then her eyes flinched away and she darted inside the room.

"Matin!" cried Miss Lanai's voice joyfully. She sprang away from the canvas that she had been examining and caught Serena's hands. "_Vous etes ici_! _Chouette, chouette_! And 'ot Boy!"

She looked at Darien, who had entered and stood just inside the doorway.

"Come in, come closer," she urged. "_Laissez vos sacs_…I 'ave a new painting to show you."

Darien reluctantly let his backpack slide to the floor, then began to pick his way through the maze of easels and canvases towards Miss Lanai and Serena.

No easel was without a painting, and Darien felt as though he were doing a peculiar dance as he wove his way between them. Some still glistened with wet paint, and Darien smothered a curse word when he bumped into one of the canvases. His pristine navy blazer sleeve came away with a smear of red on it.

Darien glanced up at the culprit canvas, scowling. This expression slowly melted from his face to be replaced by fascination.

The painting was rather abstract. A pale white hand, its fingers impossibly long and slender, gripped a stemmed glass goblet. The goblet held a crimson liquid, and its rim was broken and jagged. The hand was lifting the dangerous goblet towards a pair of cherry red lips.

"Whose is this?" Darien heard himself demand. He lifted his eyes to Miss Lanai and spun the easel around so that she could see it. "Who painted this?"

Miss Lanai examined the painting, then Darien himself. "No one you would know," she said finally.

"Try me," said Darien.

Miss Lanai's smile brightened. The expression, strangely cold and ghastly beneath the penciled-on mustache, sent the hair on Darien's neck standing on end. "Does it scare you, 'ot Boy?"

Darien stared at her. Miss Lanai continued to smile at him.

Serena finally interrupted, unease evident as she spoke in a small voice: "What did you want to show us, Miss Lanai?"

"Ah, _bien_. _Merci_, Matin."

Miss Lanai turned her back on Darien but crooked a finger for him to come closer. She pushed her beret up on her head and fussed prissily with the sheet that was draped over the canvas in front of her. When Darien arrived to stand behind her, she whipped the drape off.

This painting was just as disturbing as the first. Even more so, in fact.

The background was the same dusky darkness of the painting that Miss Lanai had first used Serena and Darien as models for. One of its subjects was also the same – the white gowned figure with Serena's pixie-like stature and her long, odangoed hair. Though her face was in shadow, its features indistinguishable, her hair and body were clearly visible.

As was the sword blade protruding from her abdomen.

The rest of her body curved in around it, her hands gripping the blade as though trying to keep it from entering her flesh any further. Red was blossoming on the snowy folds of the gown.

The only other person in the painting was hidden in shadows, its identity indiscernible. It stood directly behind the Serena look-alike, and its hands gripped the sword's hilt.

Rage erupted within Darien, mixing like blood with the nausea pooling in his stomach. Not for the shadow in the painting that had stabbed the gowned girl, but for its painter. Especially when she spoke cheerfully as though nothing was wrong.

"_Alors_, what do you think?" She wrapped her arms loosely around Serena's neck from behind, in the companionable kind of hug Serena often gave Lita._ "Magnifique, non_?"

Blood pounded in Darien's ears like gongs as he watched them. Serena's eyes were wide and glassy. Her hand was fisted at her mouth; she was biting down on her knuckles as though to smother a scream. And Lanai was standing there with her arms around her as though she were her _friend_!

Again and again, the same thought stabbed into his brain.

_How dare she? How dare_ _she?_

A wolf-like snarl escaped his throat. Serena started at the sound, her eyes clearing a little. Her form stiffened against Miss Lanai. The woman relinquished her hold on Serena, letting her arms fall to her sides.

Darien stepped forward and seized Serena's hand, pushed her behind him and towards the door. She made no resistance until he tried to let go so that he could face Miss Lanai again. Then he fingers scrabbled to catch hold of his again, a small, strangled sound emerging from her lips.

He turned, eyes burning with anger. The anger was directed at Miss Lanai, not her, but Serena was too flustered to realize that. "Serena. _Leave_."

He held her gaze until her eyes flinched away. Then, smiling grimly as he heard the door open, then shut, behind him, he turned back to Miss Lanai.

"What in the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" The volume of his voice would have hurt his own ears if he had been able to hear over the pounding blood. "Who the HELL do you think you are?"

"_Mon Dieu_, 'ot Boy." Miss Lanai adjusted her hat and turned away from him, unscrewing a small container of paint. "_Calmez-vous. C'est juste une peinture._"

"You think that just because it's a painting you can kill people in it?" His voice shook as he struggled to leash his rage. "I don't think the administrators would approve of that philosophy."

"_Especially_ not if you're teaching it to your students.' He jerked his head disgustedly at the painting of the cracked champagne glass. "I'll be apprising the principal of this."

Miss Lanai blinked at him owlishly for a moment from behind her glasses, meeting his steely gaze head-on.

Then she smiled. "Of course, Monsieur Shields. Now, would you like to hear ze rest of ze story about ze moon princess?"

Darien eyed her in revulsion and disbelief. Without deigning to answer, he turned his back on her and exited the room.

Miss Lanai watched the door creak shut behind him. A paintbrush materialized in her fingers. She released it. Instead of falling to the floor, it hung in midair.

She sat down, leaned back in her chair. Made a little twirling movement with her finger. The paintbrush zoomed over to the canvas and began to fill in the shadowy features of the figure behind Princess Serenity.

When the fuku and tiara were finished and gleaming wetly, the paintbrush fell to the floor. It splattered paint on the tile.

A humorless smile graced Lanai's lips as she gazed at the painting.

"You can reject the past, Endymion…but you can't change it."

_Yet._

* * *

**Translations:**

_Vous etes ici!_ you're here!

_Chouette_ terrific, wonderful

_Laissez vos sacs_ leave your bags

_Alors_ So then

_Magnifique, non?_ Magnificent, huh?

_Mon Dieu _My God

_Calmez-vous_ Calm down

_C'est juste une peinture _It's just a painting.

**A/N:** Characters were done very deliberately in this chapter. Next time, the return of Toki, more Senshi action, and more angst. Probably lots of angst. We're getting to the point in the story where everything is building up and creating a lot of pressure.


	27. Surprise, Surprise

A/N: Argh, you guys, I have so much work to do! Thus this chapter is very short and noneventful, and I wasn't even going to post it, but I feel so bad for neglecting you guys lately…so I'm posting this morsel, and if you want to read it, you can, and if you want to wait and read it with my next and hopefully more substantial posting, you can do that, too. (I would suggest the latter.)

Domo arigatou to EVERYONE for their reviews. God, those things are a huge bright spot…like brownies for the soul, except for that they're even better because they don't make me get fat. Well, actually, they may cause my ego to gain a little bit of weight… Argh! What am I babbling about? Shut up, Sword-baka!

Disclaimer: I'm too frazzled to own Sailor Moon! Or any universities!

* * *

Subject to Change:

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Surprise, Surprise

* * *

Even Darien's footfalls sounded angry as he strode swiftly down the hall, away from Miss Lana's classroom. Staccato and sharp like gunshots, they echoed through the air.

Another sound interrupted. A click of the intercom turning on, then a blaring voice. "Darien Shields, report to the principal's office. Again, Darien Shields, please report to the principal's office."

Darien snarled to himself and sped up, changing direction.

Darien's rule-abiding classmates were lucky. The bell had rung, so they were tucked safely into their classrooms, safe from his wrath.

But others were not so wise. Such as the underclassman who was slouched against the wall with a cigarette in his mouth. After one last puff, he dropped it to the ground and ground it into the grass with his foot.

Darien felt a bright hot twinge – whether from pain or anger, he didn't know, but it snapped his thin temper.

His hand shot out and grabbed the oily kid by his collar, then resumed his pace, now with the tarlung in tow.

Upon reaching the administrative building, he yanked the door open. He strode past the secretaries, throwing the kid into a hard plastic chair as he passed. The impact caused a pack of cigarettes to fall out of his jacket. A murmur rose, and several adults converged on the kid at once. Darien ignored them all and barged into the principal's office.

"Young man, wait just a minute!" protested the secretary, but Darien had already closed the door behind him.

"Mr. Shields!" The principal shot to a half-standing position behind his desk. His eyes flicked towards a man sitting in the chair before his desk before returning to Darien.

Darien did likewise, glancing at the mystery man with cool calculation. He was rather elderly, not with the white hair of kindly grandfathers and Santas but with the silver hair of professional businessmen. He wore a soft brown suit and a mildly amused smile and sat with one leg crossed leisurely over the other.

Darien returned his eyes to Principal Waishatsu. "You paged, sir?"

Sarcasm colored his tone. He hissed inwardly at himself. _Idiot. Mouthing off to the principal is not the way to go!_

"Yes…" The principal's voice faded off on a sibilant hiss as he lowered himself slowly back into his seat. "Ah…what was all that, ah, ruckus about out there?"

"I brought in a kid I found smoking, sir." Darien's voice was perfectly composed, now, with just the right dose of deference. He smiled lightly.

"Ah. Very good. Very good, Darien." Principal Waishatsu nodded and looked over at the man sitting in the chair. "You see, wonderful leadership skills."

The other man nodded in return and adjusted the clipboard in his lap.

"Darien, this is Dr. Ludisae." Waishatsu motioned to the man sitting in the chair. "Doctor, this is Mr. Shields."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Darien bent dutifully to shake the man's hand.

"Likewise," replied Dr. Ludisae, returning Darien's grip. "I must admit that I've been waiting to meet you for quite a while, Darien."

"Well, I'm very sorry to have kept you waiting," lied Darien smoothly. "There was a matter at lunch that required my attention – if I could have a word with you about it at your convenience, Mr. Waishatsu?"

"Ah? Of course, of course." The principal looked surprised to be addressed, but waved him on. "But for now, go on, my boy, have a seat. Dr. Ludisae has some news for you that you might want to, ah, be sitting down for."

"Is that so?" Darien said with a courteous amount of interest. He sat down, but on the edge of his seat, his eyes flicking to the clock. Study hall had already started…

"Darien," began Dr. Ludisae, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "I teach at a college in America."

"Really?" Darien lifted an eyebrow, some interest surfacing. "But your accent sounds more European…"

"Go on," prompted Dr. Ludisae, an eyebrow quirking and a small smile curving his mouth.

Darien eyed him appraisingly. "Your accent sounds Latin, actually – but of course that's impossible because Latin's a dead language, so…" He shrugged eloquently.

Dr. Ludisae sat back in his chair, passing a hand before his face and then running it down his chin. The smile had fallen from his face to be replaced by a disbelieving expression.

"Well. Well," he said again. "I can see that you do indeed belong at our university." He paused. "As a matter of fact, Mr. Shields, I _was_ born in Europe – Vatican City, actually. I was raised by some of the priests living there, so I picked up a great deal of Latin before I actually learned Italian, and I still use it frequently. That was quite an astute observation, young man. Are you interested in linguistics?"

"It has its appeal," responded Darien mechanically. Had the man just said what h thought he had? "Excuse me, but did I hear you correctly? You want me to go to your university?"

"Another astute observation," said Dr. Ludisae dryly.

"In…America." It was not a question but a statement. It was Darien confirming it to himself.

"Right again." Dr. Ludisae chuckled. "But before we start talking business like that, tell me a bit about yourself. Languages intrigue you? Which have you taken?"

"Japanese, obviously," said Darien slowly. His mind was still wrapping itself around the proposition and its implications. To go to a college in America…

"He's quite fluent in English," inserted Principal Waishatsu hurriedly, almost panickedly, when Darien remained pensively silent. "He's taken top honors at the language festivals several years running! He's also in his third year of Latin – "

"No, it's only my second," interrupted Darien. He had come back to himself, it appeared.

"Oh. Oh! But you're in the third year Latin class."

"Mrs. Tonami wanted me to skip ahead." Darien turned back to the doctor. "I know some French…enough to get by."

"You took classes?"

"Not…exactly…" A grin tugged at Darien's lips as he thought about the unconventional method by which he had learned most of his French. This, in turn, led to thoughts of Miss Lanai, and his face turned thunderous again. "It's a long story."

"Long but impressive. So you're familiar with four languages. Yet linguistics aren't your area of interest?" Dr. Ludisae's voice held a wry note.

"Not really. I'm leaning towards the medicine field."

"Oh? What is your motivation for this, if I may ask?"

Darien smirked self-deprecatingly. "The clichéd one. I want to help people."

"Is that the only reason?"

Darien rubbed a sweaty palm down his pant leg. It left behind a tiny streak of red – paint left over from that bloody painting. He covered it by leaning forward on his elbow. "Kind of," he admitted. "Science is my favorite subject, and of course medication involves a tremendous amount of biology and chemistry. But I think that if there was a larger demand and a higher salary, I would rather go into geology or botany."

"Ah. So you're basing your decision on fiscal rewards."

"Kind of…" Darien grimaced. "But not really."

He couldn't give the man his real reason for wanting to go into medicine – his hope that he might find a way to heal others by using his golden sparks.

"There's still the helping people factor," he concluded lamely. He snorted mentally. As if he didn't do enough of that as Tuxedo Mask. _I wonder if I could find a way to use my Tuxedo Mask sojourns as community service…_

"I see." The doctor wrote something on his clipboard. "Well, then, Mr. Shields, I suggest that we start talking. The first thing I need to know is whether you'd actually be interested in attending our college."

"Do you even need to ask?" returned Darien dryly. Then he paused. "Well, actually, it might help if I knew the school's name." _Odango's rubbing off on me._

"That it might," chuckled the doctor. "This mystery school that is so interested in you is Yale." He watched with amusement as Darien's eyes glazed over. "I take it you're impressed?"

"Very," managed Darien. "And you want _me_?"

"Most definitely." Dr. Ludisae leaned over and rooted around in a briefcase sitting beside his feet. He withdrew a file folder as wide as Darien's arm. "We've kept a file on you for quite a while, Darien, and contained within here are all the records of achievements you've made and newspaper articles you've appeared in over the course of your life."

"To think I was being stalked all this time and I didn't know it," quipped Darien lightly. "So just because I win a couple of science fairs I'm a prime candidate for one of the most prestigious universities in the Western Hemisphere?"

"The science fairs and a couple of other things, yes."

"So…would I have to take a test? To be accepted at the school, I mean."

"We usually require and base our decisions on your academic achievement test scores and on your cumulative high school GPA, plus extracurricular activities. However, Japan's curriculum is somewhat more advanced than those of schools in America, and by the end of this year, you will have completed all of the classes required for graduation. Correct?" Dr. Ludisae glanced up over his glasses at Darien.

Darien nodded seriously. "Yes, but there are higher-level math courses available on campus that I haven't taken yet, so I planned to take those along with Latin and English and then take some night courses."

"But those are additional classes not necessary to graduate, and they are, of course, available at our university." Dr. Ludisae straightened his papers. "So, basically, once you have finished this year, we're ready for you at Princeton. Full scholarship."

"But…" Darien fumbled for words. Leaving this year? Before finishing high school with Asanuma and Motoki? While the Dark Kingdom was still at large and the Sailor Senshi were still hostile towards Serena? "Wouldn't you rather that I finished out high school?"

"I'm sure you're familiar with the expressions _carpe diem_, Darien." Dr. Ludisae leaned forward. "As I said, the courses you wish to take will be available at Princeton, and – intending no insult to your institution, Principal Waishatsu – they will be taught by some of the most competent and knowledgeable professors in the world. You're clearly the one receiving the advantage here."

He withdrew a sheaf of papers and handed them to Darien. "These are some forms I need you to fill out and send to me by the end of the month if you want to take up my offer. Any information you need will be in there, although my phone number is also included in case you have questions."

"I… have to think about it, of course," Darien managed to say.

"Darien." Principal Waishatsu leaned forward. "Darien, I strongly urge you to accept this scholarship. It's a, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Darien smiled slightly. "Trying to get rid of me, Mr. Waishatsu?" he said lightly to hide his inner turmoil.

Skip senior year? To leave NOW?

Leave all his friends and go to America, perhaps never to return? Dread tightened his windpipe.

Leave Serena to deal with the Senshi and the Dark Kingdom on her own? Guilt pooled in his stomach.

The very idea of Tuxedo Mask abandoning Sailor Moon like that seemed preposterous. So did the idea of not hearing Asanuma's inane jokes or eating Motoki's decadent brownie-fudge milkshakes.

But so did the idea of turning down the opportunity to attend Princeton University.

College had always been a very serious concern for Darien. He would soon be a legal adult, which meant that he would no longer receive financial support from the government. He would have to support himself, and his grades would certainly plummet if he had to juggle a job, school, AND Tuxedo Mask. Hell, his grades were already suffering just from school and Tuxedo Mask!

Which was another reason to accept this college offer.

As of last year, Darien had been comfortably confident in his ability to gain entrance to any university in Japan.

Last year, he had not been Tuxedo Mask.

Now, his grades were falling from his nighttime activities, and chances were good that they would continue to drop. Colleges that earlier would have accepted him might very well now reject him because of his dropping GPA.

The bell rang. Darien shot to his feet.

"I've got to go," he said quickly, eager to escape the room. He knew now why Serena preferred to run from situations rather than face them. It was so much easier. "Class calls."

"Of course." Dr. Ludisae nodded. "I hope to hear from you soon, Mr. Shields."

* * *

_1.) As we discussed in class, suicide is very serious in the Catholic religion. Romeo and Juliet, therefore, must have been very aware that their choices to kill themselves would land them in hell. In other works, Shakespeare said that, "Divines and dying men may talk of Hell, but in my heart, her several torments dwell." Is Shakespeare implying that there are worse things than hell and that Romeo and Juliet faced more pain by being apart in life than in being together in hell?_

Serena read the words, but did not absorb them. Her mind was, understandably, preoccupied, churning like an ocean, and the dry literature question quickly became waterlogged and sank.

For the fourth time in the past ten minutes, her eyes went to the clock. And for the fourth time in the past ten minutes, she bit her lip. The tardy bell had rung fifteen minutes ago, but Darien had yet to show up.

There were myriad explanations for this, and all of them were distressing. Maybe a youma had appeared and Darien was fighting it? Without Ami's computer, Serena had no way to detect youma. But – she would have sensed if Darien had transformed into Tuxedo Mask…

Even if this was so, she still had reason to worry. Suppose Darien had done something to Miss Lanai? He had been so _angry._

For the eighth time in the past twelve minutes, Serena wished that she hadn't listened to him and left. She had seen the fury in his eyes, and she knew better than anyone – well, except youmas – how terrible his wrath could be. Darien did not lose his temper often, but when he did, it was a sight to behold. And it was a sight that she had become rather familiar with in the past few weeks.

She mentally punched herself again. _Why didn't you STAY, Serena_? she wailed at herself.

She knew why she hadn't stayed. Because she was afraid. _And who wouldn't be?_ she demanded of herself indignantly. Miss Lanai had been acting like a psycho – showing Serena a painting in which someone stabbed her and then asking her if she _liked _it? It was like something from a slasher movie! She had been only too glad to get as far away from Miss Lanai as she could!

_But you shouldn't have left Darien with her!_ shrieked her mind. _You heard him growling! Miss Lanai's probably a rose pincushion by now…_

_Darien wouldn't do THAT,_ thought Serena confidently. _He's way too cautious…right?_

"Miss Tsukinoooooo," crooned a voice from behind.

Serena screamed and cowered in her seat.

"Don't stab me!" Her voice trembled. So did her limbs. Bloody swords danced across her mind's eye in a sick imitation of sugar plums. Oh, God, where was Darien when you needed him! "_Please!_"

"Good Lord! Miss Tsukino, _do_ stop being such a drama queen!" A ruler rapped her desk reprimandingly. Serena cringed further, then realized with growing horror that the voice had only belonged to Mr. Kumitate.

Laughter filled the classroom. Red rose in Serena's cheeks, but her heart still thumped a painful tattoo again her chest.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," drawled Mr. Kumitate. "Stop staring around the room and work on your literature assignment. This is study hall, not Pencil Chewing 101."

Serena lowered her eyes bashfully to her pitiful pencil, which looked as though it had been attacked by a beaver. She offered Mr. Kumitate a weak grin. He rolled his eyes and walked away, leaning over another student's shoulder to check that she was doing her work.

Serena reluctantly returned her attention to her Romeo and Juliet assignment.

_2.)_, it read._ H.G. Adams said that "Hell is truth seen too late." The Montagues and Capulets realize at the play's end that they should not have kept Romeo and Juliet apart. Relate this to Shakespeare's quote in Question 1._

Serena made a face. The last thing she wanted to think about at that moment was _hell!_ Not after seeing Miss Lanai's painting…

Suppose Miss Lanai was trying to warn her? That…that she was going to get stabbed by someone? But no, if she was trying to warn her, then why would she have asked if she liked the painting? That made no sense. Maybe Miss Lanai was _threatening_ her?

Serena's light brows furrowed, and her pencil made it way back to her mouth. She chewed concentratedly on it, thinking hard.

But why would she threaten her? If she wished harm to Serena, she had already had numerous opportunities to do so.

There had to be a_ reason_ that Miss Lanai had painted Serena getting stabbed. _Well, not me, _amended Serena, _but that princess girl who LOOKS like me_.

_Maybe,_ thought Serena with mounting excitement, _I have a long-lost twin sister, and Miss Lanai is warning me that SHE's going to get stabbed with a sword!_

She immediately realized the complete absurdity of this explanation. _Okay, THAT was stupid._ She sighed. _Enough of this. Just get your homework done, Serena._

She wrinkled her nose at Question #2 and skipped to #3.

_3.) In the play, Shakespeare gives Juliet the line "at lovers' vows…Jove laughs." In other works, he says that "Love is merely madness." These quotes suggest that Shakespeare believed that love was foolish. Do you think that Shakespeare did believe that philosophy? Do you believe that philosophy? Support your answer._

Serena bristled, pencil falling from her mouth. HERE was a question that she could actually answer. Of COURSE love wasn't foolish! She rolled her up her sleeves and began to scribble furiously away.

Then – the intercom crackled to life.

"Mr. Kumitate? Could we please have Serena Tsukino to the office to take a phone call?"

Serena's jaw dropped. No FAIR!

"Yes," Mr. Kumitate called to the intercom. He glanced over at Serena from his desk. "Go on, Miss Tsukino, but NO DAWDLING."

Serena grumbled, stomping out of the room. Her ire evaporated as she set foot into the hallway. Inside Mr. Kumitate's rom, surrounded by the murmur and laughter of cramming and gossiping students, she had felt quite safe.

Now, out in the empty stillness of the wide-open hallways…she felt exposed. Like a rabbit in the middle of the prairie. She could smell the hunter, hear him loading his rifle, but could not see him.

Maybe Miss Lanai _had _been threatening her. Maybe she was lurking behind one of these corners, waiting to jump out and stab her. In fact, now that she thought about it, Luna could be hiding, too. Lying in wait to jump onto her and claw her eyeballs out…

Serena shuddered, goosebumps crawling up her flesh. She began to tiptoe ever so quietly down the hallway, barely breathing.

It was slow progress, to be sure. Almost as slow as following the string between her and Tuxedo Mask. It took twelve minutes to get to the office. But she reached it whole and alive (though her nerves were rather shot), so she figured it was a fair trade – although Mr. Kumitate might not see it that way.

She slipped into the office, stopping in front of the counter and rocking nervously back and forth on the balls of her feet. The secretary made a 'wait just a minute' sign with her hand.

Serena glanced around. She hadn't been in the office since she gored Darien's foot with Rei's high heel…she sighed. Rei wouldn't give her the time of day now, much less lend her her precious Sailor Mars shoe.

Serena's wandering eyes happened to glance into the principal's office through the little window in his door. She saw a head of dark black hair and the back of an impeccably ironed blazer. Darien! He was in the office! That must mean that he had done something to Miss Lanai…and now he was going to get in trouble!

"Nooooooo," moaned Serena under her breath.

The secretary looked up. "Oh, I almost forgot you were there, hon." She slid a phone towards Serena. "For you."

Serena picked up the phone gingerly. It had only just struck her to wonder who was calling her in the middle of a school day.

"Hello?" she said cautiously into the mouthpiece.

"Sweetheart!"

A huge grin split Serena's face. "Mom!"

"Oh, Serena, honey, how are you doing? I miss you so much!"

"I miss you, too, Mom." Suddenly, Serena found her voice thickening. She swiped a hand at her eyes. She had been fine this whole past week, but now that she heard her mother's warm, familiar voice, homesickness tore at her insides. "I…I miss you a lot!"

"Oh, honey…" Serena could almost hear her mother's bittersweet smile. "I miss you, too."

"Are you…you're coming home tomorrow, aren't you?" Serena blurted out abruptly, mentally counting down. Yup, her parents had been gone for a week now.

A sigh. "Well, Serena…that's what I called about. We have to stay a little longer – the conference got started a couple of days late because some of the guest speakers were delayed in arriving."

"…oh." Serena wet her lips. "Well, um – that's fine. I'm doing great here at home! But, um…what about the brother from the black lagoon?"

Ikuko laughed. "His trip lasts two weeks, remember? We'll still be home before he is." Her voice grew more serious. "Are you _sure _you'll be alright, Serena? I can come home if you need me – "

"No!" Serena blurted out, then winced. "I mean, no, I'm _fine_, Mom." _And you'll be better off there while the youma are so active here._ "Hey, Mr. Kumitate's going to flip if I'm out of class any longer, I've got to go. Love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, honey."

"Bye," Serena choked out, then quickly handed the phone back to the secretary.

She sniffled and turned around. She suddenly found herself wishing very much for some company – but Lita was avoiding her, and Darien was in the principal's office.

She paused and peeked inside the principal's office again. Darien was leaning forward, nodding – she still couldn't see his face, but a silver-haired man in the chair beside him was apparently the one he was listening to. He looked pretty businesslike in his suit; Serena hoped he wasn't the police commissioner or something.

Her hand was turning the doorknob when she realized what she was doing. She snatched her fingers back as though they had been burned and stared down at them mournfully as though they had betrayed her. They had been about to yank open the door on an obviously very important meeting! She would have gotten in SO MUCH TROUBLE…

But… her eyes slid towards the black head again. She shook her head violently and wrapped her arms around her waist, forcing herself to walk out of the office.

In her reverie, she did not notice the brisk-sounding footsteps until they were about to round the corner, almost upon her. Terror gripped her heart. Was it Miss Lanai? She hadn't been in the office with Darien and the principal – was it Miss Lanai, come to take revenge?

Without a second thought, Serena ducked into the closest door. It was a bathroom, and she shot into the closest stall, hurriedly locked it, and scrambled up onto the toilet, crouching there so that neither her feet nor her head would be visible to anyone who entered the bathroom.

Her straining ears heard the footsteps grow closer, louder, closer, louder, closer…then continue on past the restroom. She wilted in relief, nearly tumbling into the toilet.

She climbed down and went to unlock the stall door…when she noticed a strange thing in the stall beside hers. A pair of worn red and white sneakers, far too large to belong to a girl. And they were familiar…

"ASANUMA!"

* * *

A/N: I am SOOOOOOOOOO SORRRRRYY! 


	28. Mounting

**Disclaimer:** EightofSwords sits down at her laptop and begins typing out the disclaimer for her latest (ah, irony) chapter. "When I blow out the candles on the Thanksgiving turkey this year, I plan to wish for Sailor Moon, Daniel Radcliffe, and laser hair removal."

Sword-chan's little sister looks up from her latest Tsubasa Reservoir manga, disdain scrawled across her features. "What planet are you from? You don't blow out candles on Thanksgiving."

"WHAT!" yells Sword-chan, enraged. How will she get Daniel Radcliffe now?

"Hey, don't blame me." Sword-chan's little sister turns to a new page in her manga. "I'm on your side. No one needs laser hair removal as much as you do."

(And that, my darlings, is what happens when you drink 2 Liters of Mountain Dew mixed with cranberry juice. Which is, as I have learned from my drug awareness course, a synergistic mixture and thus can be four times as potent as any two individual drinks. Cheers!)

* * *

Subject to Change

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Mounting

* * *

From Ami Mizuno's acceptance letter to Kuritusaru Juku:

_Kuritusaru Juku is pleased to welcome your son/daughter to their prestigious learning program! Please observe the rules in the enclosed handbook and prepare for an informative year! The weekly schedule is as follows. Punctuality is an important part of the business world and is consequently strictly enforced._

_Monday: 3:00 – 6:00 p.m._

_Tuesday: 3:00 – 6:00 p.m._

_Wednesday: 3:00 – 6:00 p.m._

_Thursday: 3:00 – 6:00 p.m._

_Friday: 3:00 – 6:00 p.m._

_Saturday: 7:30 – 11:30 a.m._

_Looking forward to an enlightening new year,_

_Ihara Tutetsu_

_Principal_

* * *

_That morning:_

"Business as usual today," said Luna, prowling back and forth atop the wall as she looked down at Rei and Ami on the sidewalk below her. "Report to me on your communicators at lunch and break to check up. Once school ends, you will immediately report to patrol – "

Luan broke off suddenly. Ami, her eyes glued to the ground, had timidly raised a hand.

"School hasn't started yet, Ami," said Rei caustically.

"I know," said Ami in a small voice, lifting her head a bit. "But Luna, I – um, I can't patrol today. Or – orMondayoranyotherschooldays."

She said this all in a rush, as though hoping to escape Luna's wrath, but the black cat caught every word of it. Then she swelled like a wrathful balloon.

"What do you mean, you can't patrol?" she growled slowly.

"Well – you see – " Ami twisted the hem of her skirt tightly in her hands. "I have to go to juku. I've been skipping to patrol – "

"Exactly," Luna cut her off. "Because we've already had this conversation. The princess is more important than your precious supplementary school."

Ami swallowed and, almost ashamedly, said, "My mother's said that if I miss another day of juku, I have to go back to my old boarding school."

Which meant that Luna would have no one at Azabu High to keep an eye on the two traitor Senshi.

The black cat flew into a rage.

* * *

"Zoicite." An impatient frown wrinkled Beryl's face. "Where is Malachite?"

"_I summoned him forth an hour ago, Queen_," replied the general, sheathing the bloody knife in her hand. She had been idly carving shapes in her arm with the blade. "_Why not check on him with the crystal orb the Great One gave to you?_"

Wordlessly, the Dark Kingdom monarch awakened the crystal ball. Fog swirled like a hurricane within its depths.

Zoicite sat up, placing her chin atop Beryl's knees in order to better see the orb's contents. A strange and presumptuous thing to do, and Beryl would have blasted her into oblivion for it – _if_ Zoicite had still been the general she once was. But she was not; the real Zoicite had been killed, and now the soul inhabiting her body was just an extension of Beryl's.

"_Look,_" breathed Zoicite, drawing Beryl's attention back to the orb. "_He is with her again_."

And indeed, he was. Though donning Terran slacks and a shirt and wearing shades, it was unmistakably High General Malachite walking down a Terran street beside the Leader of the Imperial Senshi, Minako. Both wore smiles, and Beryl's nostrils flared.

"_I smell it, too,_" hissed Zoicite. "_Betrayal._"

"Now, now." Beryl placed a hand atop the orb. "He meets with her on my orders, Zoicite. Venus will never lead us to the princess of her own, but if she believes that Malachite is betraying me, she will tell all to him."

"_I have followed him, Queen. He told her that you did not know of his visits to her._"

"Did I not just tell you that I do?" Beryl's ire flared up; she glared down at her general. "I am the one who sends him to her!" She calmed slightly, her expression becoming more benevolent. It felt too odd to scold her own soul. "Listen to me and learn, Zoicite. Malachite would not knowingly betray his soul mate. But he is desperate to protect her, after he has failed to do so so many times. He will do anything – even yield to me." Here, Beryl smiled widely. "Did you not wonder why I let Venus go so easily? Why I set her up at Sailor Moon's school and gave her a home?"

"_Yes,_" hissed Zoicite, her tongue flicking eagerly from her mouth.

"I told Malachite that I would spare Minako if he went to her and brought all information she gave him back to me. And because he is so desperate, and because he has seen our strength these past thousand years and does not believe the Senshi or their princess can defeat us, he agreed.

"And that," finished Beryl with malicious satisfaction, "_that _is the weakness of love, Zoicite."

* * *

_That afternoon:_

_She climbed down and went to unlock the stall door…when she noticed a strange thing in the stall beside hers. A pair of worn red and white sneakers, far too large to belong to a girl. And they were familiar…_

_"ASANUMA!"_

Serena threw her stall door open. Before her hand could reach the other stall door, it swung open. There sat Asanuma on the commode – fully clothed and with his elbows propped on his knees and his face propped on his hands.

"Hi, Serena-chan," he mumbled.

"Oh my gosh!" Serena stared at him, then glanced around the bathroom, face staining a bright pink. "I'm so sorry, I thought this was the girls' bathroom...!"

"It is."

"It…is?" Serena repeated uncertainly.

"Yup."

Serena waited for him to continue, but apparently he was not in a very gregarious mood. "But then…what are you doing in here?"

"Skipping."

Serena's brows knit in concern. "Why?"

Asanuma shrugged. His tie was still neatly knotted neatly at his throat – not at all like him. He usually yanked his tie and collar loose as soon as he was out of a teacher's sight. "Got bored."

"That's a…good reason," said Serena slowly. My, but this was awkward.

"Yup."

No more words were said. Serena thought she was going to burst from all the silence. She thought hard for a minute, furrowing her brows, then plunked down on the toiler in the stall beside Asanuma's. "Then I'll skip class too and keep Numa-kun company!" she announced.

Asanuma's only reply was a sigh. After a few minutes had passed, she heard him say, "You know, if someone walks in right now, they're going to be scarred for life."

"Yup," said Serena.

More silence.

"Where's Darien?" asked Asanuma. His voice sounded strange. She heard a squeak as he shifted on the toilet seat. "Isn't he your personal escort these days?"

"In the principal's office." Serena hesitated. "Asanuma, we went to Miss Lanai like you told us, but she did something that made Darien mad, and I think he might have done something bad…" Apprehension was sloshing in her stomach like acid. "Asanuma, you don't think – "

"Miss Lanai?" came Asanuma's voice caustically. It sounded closer than before; Serena looked up from her white-knuckled hands to see him leaning against the doorway of her stall. His stance recalled Darien; arms crossed over chest, shoulders tense. "What the hell'd she ever do to him?"

Serena flinched. "She…well, it's a long story…Asanuma, are you okay?"

"Peachy." Asanuma did not relax his stiff posture, nor smile. "What's _dear_ Dare-bear's problem with Miss Lanai? Did she paint another _horrible _picture of you two getting hot and heavy or something." Asanuma adopted a breathy, high-pitched voice. "Oh, my life sucks so much, people paint _pictures _of me!" His voice lowered again, to a disgusted tenor. "Lay off the drama, for God's sake."

Her stomach was churning more horribly than ever. Serena stared at Asanuma with the eyes of a dying doe, feeling bile creep up her throat. She swallowed. "Asanuma, I – I'm really sorry…"

Asanuma smiled self-deprecatingly. His face seemed unnaturally smooth without its customary smile crinkling his eyes and dimpling his cheeks. It was as though his visage had been carved from marble. "Not as sorry as me, though, huh?"

"Asanuma." Serena willed her hands to move towards his arm and grip it comfortingly, but her limbs would not move. Fear and dread swirled in her veins like a paralyzing poison. "Asanuma, you're not sorry."

Even as she spoke, she winced at the lack of conviction in her voice. She merely sounded frightened and pleading. Was it wrong of her to want him to stop? Yes. She was selfish for wanting him to conceal his emotions so that she would not have to deal with them. She was a coward, just like Rei had always said. But where had all this anger come from?

Asanuma was watching her expectantly. She tried to talk without letting her voice quaver, but as usual, she failed.

"Y-y-you're not sorry. _I _am. Tell me what's wrong, please?" His silence continued. "Numa, if this is about Rei, I _know _she likes you. If you'll just talk to her – "

"Leave her out of this!" snapped Asanuma abruptly. A flush leapt up in his cheeks like flames. He paused, breathing heavily. "This isn't about her!"

"No, no – " Serena shook her head rapidly, almost hastily. "This is about _you_. Numa, I don't want you to be sad and angry anymore! I want you to be happy again! We all do!"

"Why?" he bit out. "So I can make jokes and be your lunchtime entertainment again? The photogenic couples are getting bored without their fifth wheel idiot, are they?"

"Asanuma, that's not true – "

"Maybe it isn't," he cut her off. Then he shrugged, turning away. "But it sure feels like it is."

He strode out the door. And Serena couldn't muster the courage to follow him.

* * *

Lita licked her lips as she stood in front of her locker. She looked around. Not a soul was to be seen in the empty hallway.

Her hands scraped down her shirt and left dark streaks behind from her sweaty palms.

She broke into motion, striding purposefully down the hallway.

Fifteen minutes later she found herself sitting at Motoki's bedside and listening to him scold her for skipping class to come see him.

"How are you going to get the study guide for your test on Monday?" he was saying, brown eyes wide with concern. "You know Usa won't take the notes, she never does – "

"Well, if you want me to leave…" Lita trailed off, rising. She knew she shouldn't have come –

"No!" Motoki scrambled out from under his bedspread. "I didn't say that – " His dismayed expression suddenly gave way to a sheepish blush. "Aw, you're making fun of me."

"Nooooo," Lita drew out, but the twinkling of her eyes belied the truth.

Toki sighed, relaxing again, though he did not lay back down on his pillow. He propped himself up on his back with his elbows and flexed his toes.

"I'm kinda glad you came," he said out of the blue.

"Kinda?" repeated Lita with her usual eyebrow quirk.

Motoki shot her a furtive look. "Yeah." He looked back at his toes again. "I mean, I thought you'd come with everyone else."

"So you're glad I skipped class," translated Lita with a little grin

Motoki laughed a bit. "Yeah. Kinda." He rolled over, his head burying itself in the pillow like an ostrich in the sand, and mumbled something.

Lita leaned forward to poke him n the ribs. "Come on, stop trying to asphyxiate yourself to death. I'm not THAT bad of company."

Despite her flippant words, every one of her nerves was on edge, like a tightrope walker balancing on the edge of a knife. What was Toki trying to say?

She poked him again, against her better judgment. She forced herself to talk teasingly. "Motoki. Pick up your head and look at me when you're talking to me, boy."

His blonde head turned sideways on the pillow so that he was looking up at her. A grimaced crossed her face; she hid it quickly.

"Sometimes I think that you only go out with me because of Serena."

Lita took a moment to swallow this. "You think…that I'm going out with you because of…Serena?" She shook her head, feeling her ponytail brush against her neck. "You're gonna have to walk me step by step through whatever male logic led you to that conclusion because I'm not following you."

Motoki smiled a little and rolled over again. "I never said it made_ sense_."

"Well, obviously it made some twisted sort of sense to you." Lita sat on the edge of his bed, leaning back on one hand. "Go on, spill. I'm sick and tired of people hiding stuff from me."

Motoki sat up so rapidly and so abruptly that Lita found their faces only a few centimeters apart. "What?"

"Nothing," grumbled Lita, thoroughly angry with herself for letting that complain slip. _Kino, you big fat whiner, stop looking for pity –_

"No, tell me! Who's hiding things from you, Lita?"

Lita sighed, turned her face away from his. She felt her hair brush his face. "I'll tell you later, okay?" She faced him again. "I want to know what crazy-ass idea got into your head that me dating you has anything to do with Serena."

To look away, to sigh: this was what Lita expected Motoki to do. Instead, his eyes remained firmly on her face, flicking back and forth across her features as though searching them. Loathe to break his concentration, she remained perfectly still, barely daring to breathe.

"Like I said, it doesn't make sense," Motoki muttered. "Just this feeling I get – like, I dunno, you would put Serena before anyone else. Like you want to spend more time with her than with anyone else. I'm not whining, really I'm not, Lita. Just sometimes we're in the arcade, and it seems like you gravitate towards Serena, like a planet or something…and today…" he paused. "Well, I wasn't sure you'd come to see me if Serena didn't."

Lita bit her lip, staring at Motoki's averted eyes. The action made her feel oddly feminine. Like a princess concerned about her prince.

Was it true? That strange feeling she felt for Serena – it wasn't lust, she knew that. It was in no way anything but platonic. But from the moment she had met Serena, something had…clicked. Begun to feel familiar. And secure. And so, like a child clinging close to her mother at a new school, Lita had glued herself to Serena.

Toki had been a new feeling, no less strong, but foreign – all the more so because he was the opposite gender, a gender that had thus far never done much to gain Lita's trust. Toki had proven himself to be an exception and had gained Lita's fierce loyalty, but still failed to inspire that incredible sense of familiarity that Serena glowed with.

Yet…that instinctual feeling of security had been only that – a feeling. And she should know better than to base her actions on those alone. Hadn't she just told herself that in the library earlier that day?

"Lita." Toki had backed away a little now. Ever the gentlemen. "I'm sorry, you haven't known me all that long, it's okay, you don't have to trust me like you trust Serena – "

Like a code word, "truth" spurred her out of her motionless.

"No, it's my fault." She stared at her hands. "I do trust you, Toki. I'm just not very good at showing it. And with Serena – a lot of the time I'm with her when I'm with you because I feel too awkward approaching you by myself. I…I'm not used to having a boyfriend. And I don't want to be clingy, so actually, I used Serena as an excuse to talk to you, not the other way round."

"…oh."

His side bumped hers. Then his arms tentatively encircled her. Lita stiffened, then relaxed, slinging an arm around his neck. She tilted her head back to look up at him. Once again, a giddying sense of femininity trembled her limbs – how wondrous it was to have to crane her head to look up at someone for once! It made her feel small and graceful –

"Why do you feel awkward, Li?"

The softly breathed question filled her mouth with a sour taste. She leaned back in his arms, her eyes fastening themselves resolutely to his ceiling. The skin of her throat protested the stretch. This was not something that she wanted to talk about…

"Is it because of me?"

Lita whipped up to a sitting position. His arms fell from her back.

"Toki, _no_!" Anger and wildness swirled in her voice. Was he INSANE? What was wrong with HIM? "It's not you! It's ME!"

"And this is the part where you say you just want to be friends, isn't it?" Motoki wore a rueful smile, not looking at her.

Lita could not believe what she was hearing. "NO! God, Toki, what in the hell's wrong with you?"

"I couldn't do anything about that damned youma," said Motoki with that same pained little smile. "You practically beat it up one-handed – and me, I passed out from one measly punch. I'm supposed to be the one who protects you, but I didn't do a single thing – "

"Wait just a second," growled Lita, grabbing him by the collar. "Where have you been this past century, Motoki Furuhata? There's a little thing called women's empowerment, you know!"

"I know _that_!" snapped Motoki back. "But that doesn't change the fact that I want to protect you!" His head swung slowly. "I can't blame you for feeling awkward. I would, too, if I was as strong as you and I was dating a wimp – "

Lita grabbed his forearm and wrestled it out of the sleeve of his bathrobe, revealing the cut-off tank top he wore underneath. Her fingers gripped his bicep and waved flailed his arm in front of his face.

"Hi, Motoki!" she squeaked like a ventriloquist voicing a puppet. "Remember me? I'm your well-toned muscle!" She poked it. "Hmm, doesn't _feel_ like a wimp's arm…"

Motoki just stared at her with a miserable expression. Disgusted, she threw his arm down. "Typical guy. You don't even know how lucky you are. _Trust _me when I say, Motoki, that you are not a wimp."

Then why do you feel awkward when you're with me?" challenged Motoki.

Lita threw her hands in the air. "Because in case you haven't noticed, I look like a freaking female He-Man!"

A strange expression crossed Motoki's face.

"What mirror have you been looking in?" He pushed the hair back from her face with his fingers. Lita realized that she still gripped his collar. She did not let go of it, nor did Motoki release her face from his hands.

Power and that feeling of being precious and small were spiraling through her veins, hot as molten gold. She felt like she was glowing, like that gold was seeping out of her pores to gild her skin.

"I don't see it in the mirror," she said breathlessly. "I see it on people's faces. I feel it when I have to look down at people to talk to them."

"Lita," said Motoki softly. His word were a warm breeze on her ear; she blinked, and her eyelashes brushed against his neck. When had her head ended up here, between his neck and shoulder? "You live in Japan. What do you expect? Besides, if I really thought you were big, do you think I'd be offering you milkshakes all the time?"

She had to laugh at this. Her hands released his collar and twined around his neck.

"Motoki," she said in a muffled voice, "have I ever told you that you're the best thing that's happened to me since I came to Juuban?"

"Wow, if you get mushy like this every time I get knocked out by a youma, I'm gonna jump in their paths a lot more," joked Motoki.

"What was that I was saying about you having big muscles?" wondered Lita aloud. "I meant except for that one in your skull."

Motoki groaned theatrically and fell back as though wounded. Lita crossed her arms and grinned.

* * *

"I have so enjoyed speaking to you, Ami." Mina smiled down at her. Warmth spread through Ami's insides, a broad smile stretching her cheeks so tightly that they hurt. Though they didn't hurt enough to mask the burning sting of the claw scratches hidden beneath her sleeves.

"I reciprocate the sentiment," replied Ami with earnest sincerity, ignoring the pain of both. "Do you – do you think we might eat lunch together again on Monday?"

"Of course!" Minako laughed. "But why wait? Let us go find something to eat now – do you want ice cream?"

"Oh, I…" Ami's insides sank with disappointment. "I can't. I have to go to juku."

"Pity." Minako's smile also fell. "Well, how about I meet up with you after your…ju-ku? And we can find some ice cream then?"

"Well, you see I…I have to meet up with someone immediately after juku…"

"A friend?"

Ami looked down. "Kind of."

"Not a boyfriend?" For some reason, Ami thought that she detected reproach, something sharp, in Mina's question. She flinched away from it, shaking her head violently.

"No! Oh no! A girl – her name is Rei."

"Rei Hino? Not the priestess?"

"Yes…" Ami fidgeted. She hoped that Mina wouldn't ask if she could get her fortune read, Rei got ever so angry when people tagged along with Ami to get their fortunes told…

"Could I come along with you and meet her?" Mina pleaded. "Otherwise I'll be so lonely and bored tonight, and I want to get to know you better!"

Ami smiled shyly. A friend! A friend, a friend, a friend, a friend – she felt like dancing!

"Me, too," she heard herself say. "Can you…meet us at the temple?"

* * *

Minako heard a small rustle as she watched Ami disappear in the distance. She glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of two golden buns above a trembling set of shoulders. The Terran who was Sailor Moon.

And she was crying? Minako felt both satisfaction and disgust. This alien who had fashioned herself as a Senshi was sniveling like an infant. Was it because she recognized who Minako was? Did she know now what terrible fate awaited her now that the Senshi's TRUE leader had arrived and discovered her attempt to control the Princess's own Senshi?

Minako smiled humorlessly and continued off of the school grounds.

* * *

Students streamed out of the school doors as though borne by a current. School was out, it was Friday, and two blissful days of freedom stretched out before them! Not to mention that Spring Fling was next weekend! Could life get any better?

The carefree atmosphere was infectious – and Serena, hunched up beside a gardenia bush on the school's front lawn, regretted that she was immune to it.

Asanuma's flare-up had been like an avalanche. She felt cold and feverish, smothered and trapped. And at the same time, felt as though she had no right to have these feelings. And then, at the same time, she felt as though she deserved to feel even worse and more horrible – it was_ her_ fault that Asanuma felt so neglected and unwanted!

And she hadn't even had the decency to comfort him.

"Oh, God…" Serena mumbled pleadingly into her arms. She didn't even know who she was pleading to. Herself, to stop being such a witch. Asanuma, to forgive her. God to help her, Time to turn back so she could fix everything, her mother to come home so she could cry in her arms –

Her head fell back against the brick wall she sat against. Stars exploded behind her eyes as the two connected, brief pain erupting in her head. A pitiful mewl of despair escaped her.

"Serena."

Eyes watering, she looked up. Above her stood a silhouette, his features indiscernible against the dazzling sunlight. Like a phantom, the name drifted across her mind…

"Endymion," she murmured, disbelief in her tone. Was he the one from her dream…?

The silhouette shifted and settled beside her, surrendering its face to the sun's revealing rays, and the spell was broken. Now it was who Darien sat beside her, his eyebrows cocked in that ironic way of his.

"Serena," he said again.

She turned away from him, scrubbing her wet nose hastily with a corner of her collar. If he saw that she'd been crying, he'd get angry again, and she didn't want him in trouble –

"They didn't do anything to you, did they?" she whispered. She turned back towards him. "In the office? You're not going to jail, right?"

Darien stared at her with incredulity. "To _jail_? Why would I be going to jail?"

"All they gave you was detention, then?" cried Serena in relief. She threw her arms around him. "Oh, thank God!"

"Odango, you're insane," she heard him say. "What's gotten into you?"

She pulled back. "What's wrong with _me_?" she echoed indignantly. "I was scared half to death that you'd killed Miss Lanai and gotten arrested, that's what's wrong with me! You looked like you were going to rip her throat out, Darien!"

"Is that bad?" demanded Darien, equally incensed. "She drew a picture of you being stabbed, for God's sake!"

"You think I don't know that? I'm not blind, Darien!"

"I'd rather be blind than let her paint another picture like that," retorted Darien.

"So would I!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Good – wait, why are we doing this?" Serena demanded suddenly. She glanced at him.

"I don't know," admitted Darien.

They stared at each other for a long moment. Then –

"We're stupid," said Serena.

"Speak for yourself," retorted Darien. He paused. "What were we even fighting about?"

"I don't know," said Serena, standing up and dusting off her skirt. "But I'm pretty sure you started it."

Darien rolled his eyes at this, standing up also. "What were you doing back here, anyways? Hiding away in the bushes like a rabbit?"

"I…" she hesitated. "Asanuma's kind of mad at me. And my parents aren't coming home for another week. And…well, that whole painting thing. But I'm okay now." She smiled, and while it wasn't one of her brightest, it wasn't fake, either. Her argument with Darien had genuinely lifted her spirits.

Darien, who had no idea that his bickering with her had cheered her, saw only how her smile was dimmer than it could have been. His anger at Miss Lanai grew. And again, he wondered how it would be at all decent of him to leave. And – wait, what had that been about Asanuma?

* * *

"He said that?" said Darien, sounding as though he were seasick, after Serena reluctantly summarized her encounter with Asanuma.

"Stop looking like that!" said Serena sharply. "It's not your fault!"

"'s not yours either," retorted Darien, but it was with half of his usual conviction. "I'm his friend, I'm the one who should have noticed that he felt left out."

"I'm his friend, too," protested Serena. _Aren't I?_

"It's Rei," said Darien, somewhat wildly. His eyes flicked around. "It has to be her. She's the reason he's feeling so sensitive – it's not like we haven't tried to help him! He just won't listen!"

"It's not their fault," Serena insisted, but she sounded unsure. "You know how it is when it seems like your life can't get any lower – people do things that they can't help – "

"But there's a point where they go too far." Darien's eyes flashed. "Serena, look. If Asanuma sits and stews in silence like he did at lunch today, fine. That's okay. If he yells at me, okay. But when he tries to blame _his _problems on _you_, that's when he's going too far."

"But it's better than him bottling everything up…Darien, if he has to yell at me to make him feel better, it's okay…"

"No, it's not! He doesn't have the right to take out his problems on you!"

"Then what's he supposed to do? Keep it all hidden and quiet until he explodes? Darien, you were the one who told me people have to let other people know how they feel, even if it's bad – "

"No, I said you can't let other people push themselves and their problems on you, there's a difference – "

"No, there's not!" Serena darted in front of him, stopping him in his tracks, and glared up at him. "There's not! It means the same thing! You said if Asanuma yelled at you, that was okay. How come it would be okay for him to yell at you but not okay for him to yell at me? They're the same thing!"

"They're NOT, Odango!"

"They ARE!" Serena stamped a foot. "I'm not made of glass, Darien! You think I _like _it when people blow off steam at me? I don't. It makes me feel like throwing up. But that's what I can do! I can listen! I can't fight very well, or make good grades, but if people feel like they can make themselves feel better by talking to me, or yelling at me, then at least I'm doing something. At least I'm making a little difference in the world!"

"No. No, Serena, you don't _get_ it." Darien's voice held that wild despair. "It's not your responsibility to make people feel better. It's not your _job_!"

"It's what I can do!" Serena cried. "Everyone has something they can do, and they have to use it, however small it is, to make the world better – "

"Is letting Asanuma feel sorry for himself helping the world any? Tell me how that helps _anyone_, Serena."

Serena didn't answer. Her eyes had fallen from his, and her shoulders were shaking slightly. Then her head flew up, little sparkles flying from her eyelashes.

"Fine!" she said. "It didn't help Asanuma. Okay, I get it, I can't even listen well! I'll stop, okay?" She turned around and started walking.

Darien's mouth fell open. _Oh, smooth move, idiot. You always scold her. Why do you always, ALWAYS have to scold her!_

"Serena – " He jogged to catch up with her, not a hard feat with her short legs and his long ones.

She picked up the pace, but little good it did. He feared for a moment that she might break into a run, in which case he would have little chance of catching her, so he took hold of her backpack strap as gently and non-aggressively as he could.

"Serena – "

She yanked her bag out of his grip. "Stop trying to talk to me," she said. "I'm not allowed to listen!" She broke into a run.

Darien followed her. "See?" he shouted over the wind in his ears. "You're treating me like this, Wwy can't you treat everyone else like this?"

Serena stopped dead. He crashed into her, and they fell in a heap on the ground. Serena fought her way out first. "Because it's _mean_!" she panted in disbelief.

"It's _safe_!"

"I don't care!"

"And neither do other people!" Darien yanked her down to the ground again by grabbing her school bag. "Serena, I'm not telling you that you're wrong! I'm telling you that OTHER people are!"

"Typical Darien," said Serena, eyes flashing. "You're always right, and everyone else is always wrong – "

"I'm not saying that!"

"Then what do you want me to do?" Serena yanked her bag away from him again. "What do you want me to do, Darien? Walk around in a veil like those women from Afghanistan and not let anyone talk to me?"

"NO!" exploded Darien. "I just want you to stop letting people take advantage of you! ESPECIALLY," he added, "people who are supposed to be your FRIENDS!"

"But that's what friends are FOR." Serena's voice rose. "That's what we do, we give everything we have to our friends and hope that they use it to their best advantage! That's what friendship is, Darien, it's trust! I give my secrets to you because I trust you to keep them and I trust you to use them to help me if I ever need it. I know you're Tuxedo Mask, and do I take advantage of that? God knows I do! Every time there's a battle I need you to come and rescue me – wouldn't you call that being taken advantage of – ?"

"It's different," Darien started to say, but then he stopped. And thought.

Serena watched him. Breathing hard, as though she had just fought a youma, she watched shadows pass through his dark blue eyes, watched light dawn in them, watched his mouth move soundlessly.

"God, Odango," he said finally. He looked up at her and laughed a little, a short, tired sound. "Why do you always have to be right?"

"I'm not always." Serena smiled a little and tugged him to his feet with a hand on his arm. "Just when I'm fighting with you. C'mon, let's go see Toki. He'll know what to do."

"I thought that was what we just spent half an hour fighting about?"

* * *

The sun was crashing down around her ears in magnificent hues of red, gold, and orange. This was one thing she begrudgingly admitted about the Terra planet: its sunsets were unrivalled in beauty. While the moon was just as ideally placed as Earth to catch the sun's rays, it lacked the atmosphere to contain the countless particles that reflected and refracted the gorgeous colors.

But did the Terrans appreciate it? thought Minako bitterly, looking around her at the speeding, honking vehicles and hurrying pedestrians with their ears glued to their cell phones. No, of course not. Selfish, ungrateful pigs.

She reached the temple, placed her foot on the first of the steps leading up to it, and gasped.

Though she was not the spiritual sponge that Rei was, even she could feel the despair and fury and resentment and fear flooding this place, sucking at her psyche like a whirlpool and then crashing down on her like a breaker. What was this place, what was this pit of misery? What had happened here, for so much pain to have sunk within its place in the spiritual zone?

And why was Mars living here? For an ultra-sensitive psychic like her – even with all of her mental barriers – this place had to be like a torture chamber!

Despite Minako's horror, a little bit of pride seeped into her. The loyalty of her Senshi, that Mars would endure such a thing for her princess! Granted, it seemed a little stupid, also, to dwell in such a tainted place, but Minako was sure that Mars had her reasons.

She reached the head of the steps, trying to ward off the dejection sucking at her by summoning thoughts of her Senshi. Soon they would be together again, and soon after that, reunited with their princess…

"What are you doing here? The temple's closed." A pause. Then, with fury: "Odango Brain!"

Minako looked up, a wide smile on her features. There before her stood Mars, eyes as fiery as ever. But the fire dimmed a little when Minako looked up, and Mars' stance relaxed a little.

_Hide it, Mars,_ thought Minako silently. _Just a little longer, until Mercury gets here, and then she can check to make sure that Beryl is not watching._

"I'm here to wait for someone," said Minako, clearly, "and also to meet someone. A Rei Hino."

"I'm her," said Mars shortly. "What do you want? I thought I'd told everyone at school, I'm not doing readings anymore. I'm sick of trying to find your stupid little dream men, so you can just go home."

Minako smiled slightly. Poor Mars must be so sick of giving in to the Terrans' petty whims in order to keep her cover.

"And you can stop making fun of me," said Mars sharply. "Please leave." She pointed the broom towards the steps. Minako glanced towards them, spotted Mercury's blue hair moving slowly up them, and decided to stay put.

Mercury looked up when she reached the top. Her eyes flicked from Mars to Minako, and suddenly looked frightened. Minako turned to scan their surroundings, but not a youma was in sight.

"Who's she?" Mars was saying to Ami, gesturing to Minako. Minako frowned at the lack of courtesy – although maybe Mars was doing it just to get a rise out of her.

"This is Mina – I invited her here…" Ami's voice was quiet, her shoulders hunched like one awaiting a whipping.

"Luna won't be happy," Rei said dourly, looking none too happy herself. "Where is she, anyways?"

"Ami," said Minako, joining the conversation. "Take out your computer, please."

Ami started, a hand flying protectively to her side pocket, then relaxed and reached down to her bookbag. She pulled out one of the Terrans' clunky, ugly machines. "What for?"

_Not that one. _Mina rolled her eyes at her Senshi's reluctance to drop the facade. Ami drew back, her expression hurt, but Minako did not notice it, for at that moment, a black shape slid from the bushes.

It let out a little growl, the hair lifting along its back, as its slitted red eyes landed on Minako.

Minako's mouth went dry.

It was Luna.

The woman whose husband Minako had killed.

* * *

**A/N:** Not much Serena or Darien, I know. Or humor. I feel rather insecure about Asanuma to tell you all the truth…but numerous times, he has been yanking his reins in this direction, so I finally gave into his angst. He's definitely not going to be the same after this, and I don't know if I like that - - but oh, well, I guess that's how parents feel as they watch their children grow up. (pulls out handkerchief and dabs eyes, then blows nose with a trumpeting sound)

I'll try to have the next chapter out soon, though it might be a while, as the characters' stupid egos are yanking me in circles and making the plot much more difficult. The best-behaved one out of all of them is Serena, darn it, but then I realize that I'm just taking advantage of her niceness in not telling me what SHE wants, to I have to pry it out of her, and then her needs tangle up with everyone else's…grrr.


	29. Shatter

**A/N**: God, rereading last chapter, I'm disgusted by how much talk and how little action there was. (shudders) I'll try not to do that anymore. Now, a word from our sponsors.

Serena: Does anyone feel like this has been an unusually LOOOOOOOONG day? I mean, it's been like four chapters long!

Darien: (pushing his spectacles up on his nose and scanning an official-looking sheet of paper) Yes, I'm pretty sure she's been violating some child labor laws – especially since we're not even getting paid.

EightofSwords: (gasps and makes a slashing motion at Darien)

Serena: (dangerously) What do you MEAN, we're not getting paid?

Darien: I mean – uh – Just being able to spend time with you is compensation enough for me?

Serena: (melts) Aw, Darien….

(Smooching noises)

EightofSwords: Whew. That was a close one.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Sailor Moon. (bows head) Please, a moment of silence for my loss.

* * *

Subject to Change

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Shatter

* * *

_Silver Millennium_:

_"I hate it when we're all apart like this," Minako grumbled, picking at a thread in her bedspread. "I always feel so isolated when I'm here on my own."_

_"That's because you're a snob," said Mercury with her usual cheeky grin. She was making ice sculptures with the decorative fountain in the corner of Mainko's suite. First a stallion, now an otter, next a swan. "You don't think anyone's worth your interest – aside from yours truly, of course." She batted her eyelashes._

_"Not true!" exclaimed Minako, swinging a leg up over the stallion's cold back. "It's just that… after spending so much time with my insane Senshi, everyone here seems so flat and two-dimensional. Booooooring – hey, you couldn't make this move, could you, Merc?" she asked in an aside._

_"It would require melting the joints," mused Mercury thoughtfully. "To allow lubrication…olly oop, there you go!"_

_Minako shrieked in delight as the stallion cantered stiffly out of the fountain basin and towards Mercury. "Brilliant, Mercury! Now can you make it whinny?"_

_Mercury snorted incredulously. "What do you think I am? God?"_

_"Mercuryyyyyyyyyyyy!"_

_"I can't breathe life into a chunk of ice, V-babe-baka!"_

_"If you can beat Mars in a training match, you can do anything!"_

_Mercury snorted again. "You have too much faith in me, V-babe." Nevertheless, she shut her eyes, and suddenly, the ice horse made a whinnying sound. Minako squealed again._

_"You'll have to get off it, soon," Mercury warned. "Remember, it's made of ice, and ice melts."_

* * *

Minako's body felt frozen, as though time had stopped. For a moment, she wondered if perhaps Pluto had decided to take a hand in the proceedings. An eternity seemed to pass as Luna's bitter eyes traversed Minako's face

What would Luna do? If it were Minako herself in Luna's positin, and Malachite dead instead of Artemis, she would surely have clawed Luan to shreds. But would Luna endanger the mission to find the

Slowly, Luna's face smoothed, and she turned away from Minako. The blonde let out a small breath of relief. _Thank the Crystal_.

In truth, Luna had at first thought that Minako was Serena. She had turned away because she had realized that she wasn't.

But Minako believed that Luna had smothered her own desires for the princess' welfare. Just as Artemis had done – and as Minako had not.

Shame flooded her. But she shoved it aside. There more important things than self-contempt at the moment. Here she was, reunited with her Senshi at last! They culd fill in the blanks still left in what Malachite had told her about this time, and of course Mercury would have a plan to recover the princess and defeat Beryl. They would be able to tell her what Jupiter was up to, and hopefully, who Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask were. By next week, the Princess would be safely in their hands, Moon and Mask would be dealt with, Malachite would be free to stay with her, and Beryl would be ancient history.

At the thought, a wide grin stretched Minako's face, and tears stugn her eyes. She swiped them hastily away and smiled brightly at her Senshi. She opened her mouth to speak.

And then a youma appeared.

"Oh, for the love of Selenity!" snarled Minako, her brief rapture bursting into flames of fury. She clenched her fist, reaching into her core to transform and slay the damned creature, but Mercury stumbled into her.

"Mina!" she cried. "Go! Let us handle this!"

Minako sighed. Oh, how she wanted to dust this youma…her hands were positively itching…but there would certainly be many more to slay in the days ahead. She moved behind a sopse of trees, out of Mercury's way. Despite her disappointment, a little excitement flickered to life within her. It had been an eternity since she had seen her Senshi fight – what splendid new battle tactics and attacks would they have perfected in the past thousand years? Not that tactics would be needed against one measly youma…

Obviously, Minako held sky-high expectations for her Senshi. And as you, readers, could have foreseen, they quickly crashed down around her ears. She watched in shock, horror, disgust, and mounting anger as Mars' pathetic fire streams consistently missed the youma; as Mercury made no attacks but merely alternated whimpering and scuttling out of the way os youma projectiles with typing on her mini-comp; as time after time, both girls were hit by attacks that would have been easy as pie to dodge!

At long last, she roused herself out of her disbelief and burst out of the trees. "CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!" she yelled, practically even before she had transformed.

The youma exploded into a cloud of ash in Mercury's face. She coughed violently. Venus rose, crossing rapidly to her and yanking her roughly to her feet.

"What the hell were you doing?" she snapped.

Mercury just stared up at her. Tears streamed from her reddened eyes, carving paths though the soot that coated her wan face.

"What are you lot playing at?" Venus demanded again, jerking Mercury along with her as she spun on Mars. "Why did you not just kill the blasted thing?"

Sh frowned fiercely at Mars, who was staring at her intently. "Mars!" she barked.

"Princess?" Mars breathed.

Venus spun to look. But she saw nothing, only the tempe steps. "_Where_?"

"You!" Mars fell into a kneeling position. "You!"

Venus stared at the bowed black head. "You…you think…_me_?" Her mouth went dry, then a scowl more fierce than ever before darkened her face. "Stop joking around, Mars," she said tightly. "That's Mecury's forte, not yours."

Mars' head flew up; she stared at Venus with those violet eyes. "But – "

"I said you're not funny!" roared Venus. "Now stop joking and explain your inability to slay a single youma!"

Luan sprang down into their midst, and Venus fell abruptly silent. She tensed as Luna's eyes locked with hers.

"Your attack involved a crescent," said the cat, and Venus could scarcely believe what she was hearing. Soemthign huge inside her was shifting. Falling, like a huge chunk of ice slding from a glacier and sinking into the ocean. "Crescent like the moon. How could you not be our princess?"

"If you're not the princess," injected Mars, tossing her hair back and glaring, "Then who are you?"

Horror was flooding Venus' heart, icy and dark. "Oh, great Selene," she breathed. She fell to her knees. "My Senshi. My Senshi!"

Mars stared at her with narrow eyes. Luna's regard became similarly supicious. Venus took no note, crying brokenly to the ground. "My Sensh! My Senshi!"

At logn last, a small voice broke the silence.

"You're Sailor Venus," whispered Mercury. "Aren't you?"

Venus' head lifted slowly. Her eyes half-crazed. "Yes! You remember me? _You remember me, Mercury!"_

Mercury was shaking her head back and forth hastily, eyes wide. "No. No," she whispered. "I don't, I'm so sorry – "

"Then how'd you know who she was?" Mars said scornfully.

Mercury ducked her head. "The symbol that shone while she transformed was Venus' sigil."

Something like hysteria was clawing its way up Venus' throat, spasming her body with the simultaneous urges to laugh and to cry. "You don't remember me."

Mercury shook her head, and Mars and Luna slowly followed suit.

"And you…don't know where the princess is?" Her voice broke on 'princess.' "You have…no plans? No…strategy?"

Again they shook their heads.

Venus' body spasmed. Her shoulders heaved, her limbs shook as she stared at the sidewalk beneath her. "Oh, Selene," she whispered, ostensibly to herself, but the others could hear her. "Oh Selene, oh Selene, they don't remember anything…they fight like two-year-olds...Mercury doesn't have a plan…Mercury doesn't have a plan…"

Still mumbling desperately to herself, she climbed to her feet. Swaying slightly, she began to walk away, disappearing down the temple steps. "…oh, great Selene! "

* * *

"You know, I haven't seen Lita."

Darien's eyebrows rose. "Now that you mention it…" He himself hadn't spared her a thought. Too much had happened… "Well, it's probably pretty safe to say she's not in too much trouble. She knows how to take very good care of herself."

"What if she saw a youma somewhere, though?" Serena murmured, knuckles pressed to her mouth.

Here was a thought that had not occurred to Darien. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "But wouldn't we know if there was a youma…?" He trailed off. "No, of course we wouldn't. All those times we've found them have been coincidences. Wow."

Serena, walking beside him, appeared unfazed by this sudden realization Darien had just come to. Or maybe she was just hadn't been listening to him at all.

"She's only ever transformed once, what if she gets hurt – "

"Hey." Darien flicked her in the head. "Give it a rest, okay? Let's wait until we see if she's at Toki's or not to stress out. If she's not there, you can stress all you want."

Serena fell silent, but Darien doubted that she was following his the advice.

They reached Motoki's modest sky-blue two-story house and turned up the neatly cobbled front path. The Furuhatas' front yard and house were every bit as cheerful as their arcade. Cheery red flowers lined the path; a cherry blossom tree stood in the corner of the yard. On the porch perched several well-worn pieces of wicker furniture, and to the side of the bright yellow front door was a porch bench. And swinging back and forth on it were Motoki and Lita.

"Lita!" cried Serena in relieved joy, running to the brunette. "You're okay!"

Darien followed Serena more sedately up the steps, scooping up her book bag from where she had dropped it and placing it with his on top of an empty wicker chair.

"Gee, you'd think Lita was the one who got attacked by a youma, and not me" Motoki said loudly, catching Darien's eye and giving him a little smile.

Darien hid a grin.

"Oh, onii-chan, I didn't mean to!" Serena let go of Lita and gave Motoki a big hug. Pulling away, she paused, staring very intently at his face. Then she began to giggle, shooting a grin at Lita.

"What? What is it?" A confused Motoki patted his face, turning to Darien. "Do I have stubble or something?"

Serena whispered something to Lita. Lita whispered back. Motoki was becoming alarmed.

"What? What is it?" he exclaimed in mounting panic.

"Evidence of your manhood," replied Darien finally, clapping Motoki on the back. A wide grin rolled across his face, and this seemed to make Serena laugh harder. "Congratulations, Motoki, you now have your red badge of courage."

Motoki blushed, finally realizing what Darien must be referring to – there was a big red lipstick smear on his cheek. "Uuuhhh – "

"Oh, stop being so immature about it." Lita rolled her eyes and pulled Motoki's face towards her with no ceremony whatsoever, then dabbed the lipstick from his face with her sleeve. She and Motoki exchanged goofy grins for a minute (causing Darien and Serena to gag at each other – well, actually, Darien gagged while Serena went starry-eyed and sighed wistfully); then Lita turned and flashed a wicked grin. "Just because you have virgin lips doesn't mean you can take it out on the rest of us."

After an initial moment of shock, Motoki and Serena exploded with laughter.

"Yeah…well…at least my brain isn't a virgin!" Darien shot back.

Cricket chirps followed.

Into the silence, Darien tried to explain: "Virgin, you know…not used? Meaning Lita's never used her brain…?"

His audience shook their heads dolefully.

"Sorry, Darien," said Serena, reaching up and patting his shoulder. "But I think you've found your match when it comes to word-fencing."

Darien rolled his eyes skyward. 'The day just keeps getting better and better."

"At least you got that red badge of courage jab in," consoled Serena.

"Aw, don't soften it for him, Serena. He lost, fair and square." Lita crossed her arms and smirked, leaning closer to Darien. "Like a LOSER."

"How mature of you," muttered Darien. Aloud, he said, "Motoki, call off your girlfriend. I've got to talk to you."

"Uh…okay." Motoki rose, somewhat unsteadily, and moved to the front door, opening it. "You wanna go inside?"

Darien shrugged. "Anywhere's fine." He hesitated, then turned to Serena and Lita as they moved to follow the two boys in. "Hey, here's an idea. Why doesn't Lita sleep over at your house, Serena?"

Both girls blinked.

"Uh – that sounds great, of course, Lita," said Serena, tilting her head backward to speak to the brunette behind her, then turned back to Darien, "but since when do you arrange play dates for me, Papa Shields?"

"It was a _suggestion_," said Darien who secretly was beginning to sweat under the collar. He needed to talk to Motoki, but he didn't want Serena left alone; Lita could keep an eye on her since she was a Sailor Senshi, but he couldn't ask Lita to do it outright because a.) Motoki was present, b.) Serena didn't know that he'd been, essentially, stalking her to keep an eye on her, and c.) he didn't want to ask Kino for a favor outright. "Don't jump down my throat, Dumpling."

Lita was watching Darien strangely. Finally, she said, "I'd love to come over if you'd have me, Serena."

Serena threw Darien a look that clearly said, "I'm going to lecture you about this later," and at the same time, grabbed Lita' s hand and chirped, "YAY!"

Darien had to smile, he really did. He found it amusing to watch her act out two different moods simultaneously. Until Serena threw him another Look, of course, and then he had to swallow the smile and look serious once more.

So, anyways, Darien thought he had things all covered now until he moved to walk inside with Toki again. And again, Serena made to follow them.

"No," he said in exasperation, barring the way with his arm. Serena's nose bonked into it, and she glared up at him, rubbing it. "You can't come in! Go have your sleepover."

Motoki, from inside, cast Darien a quizzical look, but supported him. And so, surprisingly, did his girlfriend.

"Go on, Serena," said Toki. "Me and Dare are talking gross guy things like – uh –"

"Jockstraps," supplied Lita. She tugged on Serena's arm. "C'mon, let's go rent some movies for tonight. I wanna see that new chick flick!"

Serena looked a little hurt, but recovered. "Yeah, sure!" She put her arm through Lita's and tugged her away, skipping down the steps. "Are you talking about that movie

with Mathew Maconawhatsit?"

Darien sighed in relief as the sound of their footsteps faded, then noticed Serena's bag still sitting next to his on the wicker chair. "Odango! Odango, your bag," he called, scooping it up and jogging down the steps. "Odango – oh, forget it."

He returned to Motoki with both backpacks. Motoki raised an eyebrow. "I'll just give it to her tomorrow," said Darien.

"You guys have plans for tomorrow?" asked Motoki interestedly as he made his way effortfully to the couch and sank into a cushion.

"Not really," said Darien, glancing around. "Your parents not home?"

"Lizzie's softball playoffs were today, so I made 'em go." Motoki made a face. "Mom didn't want to leave me, but I kicked her out. So. Spill. What's got you so wound-up? Why'd you make Usa leave?"

Darien thought about Miss Lanai and the painting, he thought about Dr. Ludisae from Yale, and about Asanuma's explosion at Serena.

"Uh – " he swallowed. "Uh."

And then he spilled his guts.

"Wow," said Motoki quietly when he was finished. "Numa said all that stuff to _Serena_?"

"Yeah, that was my reaction, too." Darien gave a bitter laugh. "But yeah, he did, Serena wouldn't lie."

"But Numa _adores_ Usa," murmured Motoki to himself. "He always says she's like the little sister he never had! Although," he said in an aside to Darien, "little sisters can definitely get annoying, I should know…"

"I think it's Rei," said Darien decisively. "All this time, he's been kind of teetering back and forth on whether he has a chance with her, but now he's decided that he doesn't. And now you've got a girlfriend – "

"And you've got Serena," reminded Motoki.

Darien waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah, yeah, whatever – and so he feels left out."

Motoki sighed. "But that's nothing we didn't already know from what he told Serena that she told you. What we need is a way to get him out of the funk."

They thought.

"I bet Serena's got an idea," blurted out Darien finally. "Or will."

Motoki nodded. "How did she take all of…it?"

Darien didn't need Motoki to clarify what he meant. He rose restlessly, circling the coffee table while Motoki watched him from the couch.

"She got upset. I told her it was Asanuma's fault – by which I meant to tell her that it wasn't HER fault – but then we got into a fight, and she gave me a lecture. I was just telling her – I was – I was TRYING to tell her that – urgh!" He expelled a whoosh of breath, chest heaving, and jammed a hand into his hair. "She has all these friends, Toki, and what have they done to her? They've all turned on her, every single one – even Numa now! And yet she keeps making new friends and trusting them – like Lita, and some new girl, Mina, that she mentioned on the way over – and even when they turn around and stab her in the back like Rei did, she still drives herself to tears trying to figure out how to make them _happy_!"

He threw himself down on the couch, fists clenched.

"Well," said Motoki, rubbing his jaw. "First of all, I'm going to let that thing about Lita slide." He smiled at Darien, apparently trying to lighten his heavy mood. When Darien's scowl failed to disappear, he continued.

"A lot of Serena's friends have…'betrayed' her. It's true, I won't refute you on that point. But she's so trusting and open that she has a LOT of friends. So, looking at this from your usual analytical math genius point of view, doesn't it make sense, in terms of proportions, that since Serena has so many friends, there will be a larger protion of bad apples in the bunch than there would be if she had less friends?"

"I guess," conceded Darien haltingly. "But…"

"But…?" prompted Motoki. When Darien did not continue, he smiled broadly. "Dare, you wanna know what I think?"

Darien grunted.

Motoki grinned. "I'll take that as a yes. I think the reason that this – Serena's friends hurting her – bothers you so much is because you're afraid you've done the same thing. Or that you're GOING to do the same thing. All those fights you guys used to have – sometimes they really hurt her. And you know that. But now Serena's gotten really close to you – even kind of dependent. And because you guys started out so shaky, and because of your past – " Darien flinched. " – you don't trust yourself not to hurt her. So you're trying to make her close up the same way you did after...you know. Your parents' accident."

Darien sat very, very still. He had his face hidden in his hands. Motoki licked his lips, hoping very fervently that he had not made Darien _cry_.

"Look, Darien," he said. "Serena _trusts_ people. It's what she does, it's who she is. It's the reason all the teachers at school love her even though she's horrible at school, and it's why she has half the school crushing on her. Heck, it's why you finally came out of your shell last year and started enjoying your damn life!" Motoki added half-jokingly.

"Her ability to trust is what makes her such a gem," he continued more seriously. "And trying to make her abandon it would be like turning her into a boring old piece of coal."

A long silence followed. Motoki licked his lips again. He _really _hoped he hadn't made Darien cry…he would be_ so_ dead…

Finally, Darien looked up. His face was dry, but when he smiled, his eyes were old. "I think you mixed up your metaphors, Toki." His voice was hoarse. He cleared his throat. "Diamonds come from coal. Not gems."

Motoki let out a high-pitched laugh of released tension. "Darien, you're lucky I'm friends with someone as nerdy as you."

"Motoki, you're lucky I'm friends with someone as fruity as you."

"Hey, I have a girlfriend! You guys can't call me fruity anymore!"

"What else am I supposed to call you after that long emotional analysis? Dr. Phil?"

* * *

Darien unlocked his apartment a couple of hours later. He and Motoki had gone a couple rounds of Galactic Battlefront of Motoki's Xbox, and he had to admit it had left him feeling galaxies better. (He refused to consider the idea that it was his talk with Motoki, and not his videogame playing with Motoki, that had rejuvenated him. That would just veer too close to fruitiness.)

Rather exhausted from all that male bonding, he stripped off his school uniform and pulled on boxers and a white t-shirt, then fell into his bed. It was a strange feeling, to sleep in his own bed again – and it was an ever stranger feeling not to worry about Serena. Because no matter what he had said to Toki or Serena or Kino herself, he trusted Lita to take care of the Odango Atama.

Especially when she could take care of a youma with her bare hands. He chuckled.

He turned over on his side and tranquilly drifted into a drowse…black, starry sky, closer than he had ever seen it before…a cratered white surface stretching out before him…a white gown, fluttering…silver hair…

He bolted up., heart pounding. Turned, squinting through the darkness to where his book bag sat.

Within which was the folder containing the Yale information from Dr. Ludisae.

Oh, damn. He'd forgotten all about that. Darien groaned and dropped back onto his mattress, his mind already racing with the pros and cons. He'd have to leave his friends, but the opportunity was too good to pass up. A full scholarship, but how could he in good conscience leave Japan to the mercy of the Dark Kingdom? At the same time, he couldn't let the Dark Kingdom dictate his life because then he'd be fighting until he used a walker and had liverspots…but…and if…but then…which meant… Doubt chased certainty chased guilt chased longing chased doubt in his mind.

So much for a night of serenity.

* * *

Rei left the temple soon after their newest Senshi did. She couldn't stand Ami's pathetic expression, Luna's disapproving "hmph"s, or the faint coughing from Grandpa's room.

She kicked a pebble viciously with a sandaled foot. It skittered away from her as though frightened. She looked for more to kick, but the rest of the sidewalk was pebble-free.

She had no destination. Which was just as well, since she wasn't seeing where she was going. Her mind was occupied with other things.

_Did you see that look on her face? She thought you were pathetic._

She hadn't needed to see it in her eyes, the new Senshi had said it outright. 'They fight like two year olds…'

_She's right, too. Look at her, she dusted the youma with one try. Did you see how powerful that attack was? And how come you didn't notice how strong her aura was before? You used to pride yourself on your perception, but you're just as oblivious as Serena._

And as if to prove that point, she suddenly collided with a warm body and stumbled backwards, landing on her bottom.

"Sorry – " said a disinterested voice, but then it cut off. Rei didn't really care, she wasn't listening to it anyways. She scooted back on the sidewalk until her back hit a wall. She kneaded her eyes with her palms and watched the fireworks explode behind her eyelids.

_I want to die,_ she told herself.

"Rei? Is that you?" A pause. "Are you okay?"

Tell her that she was dreaming. Please.

"Rei?"

She lifted her head –

And sure enough, there were Asanuma's killer features inches from her own. But he looked different, why was he frowning? When did he _ever _frown?

"Fine," she croaked.

"Why, yes, I am!" Asanuma stated proudly. His usual smile, the expression that had somehow lodged a hook in her heart, resurfaced as he preened playfully – only to vanish just as quickly. He sighed, deflating. "I mean – sorry. That annoys you, doesn't it? I'll stop."

"…" What was she supposed to say? "No, I love it when you make me laugh?" She might as well tattoo "I love Asanuma" on her face.

"Uhhh – want a flower?" Asanuma plucked a lily from a bouquet of flowers that he held in his hands and proffered it to her.

She looked at the lonely lily and then at the bouquet. "Who's that for?"

Asanuma looked away, his face shadowing. "Serena."

She swallowed. "…oh."

"I was kind of mean to her today – said some stuff I shouldn't have." Asanuma bit his lip. "Anyways…" he moved the hand with the flower closer to her. "Want it?"

Rei shook her head, features cold. "No, thank you." She rose regally, not meeting his eyes, and strode away nonchalantly. "Enjoy your weekend."

When she got home, she cried.

* * *

Serena chattered nonstop to and from the rental place. "I can't wait until number thirteen comes out, oen of the girls told me Akito's definitely a woman, and tey did call her a 'her' in one of the books, but that would just be so weird! And I hope Haru and Rin get back together! They're both so sad! I wish I could hop into the book and give them a hug – "

Lita was content just to sit back and laugh at her jabbering. No longer did she feel any bitterness or uncertainty towards Serena and the fact that she had not revealed to Lita that she was Sailor Moon. Serena was trying to protect her, and that was all. No if's, and's, or but's about it.

Maybe it was her talk with Motoki that had peeled away her insecurity. But more likely, it was that fact that Shields – Tuxedo Mask and the self-proclaimed official bodyguard of the little blonde – had asked her to watch over Serena. Granted, he had asked with his eyes and with face gestures, but he had asked nonetheless, which meant he trusted her with Serena, and he was the most suspicious one in the group, so…

So she had nothing to complain about. No reason not to be content.

"Hey, Serena," she heard herself say, "How do you feel about lasagna?"

"To Italian food, I say _oui_!" exclaimed Serena happily.

Lita burst out laughing.

* * *

"Lita, can I do your hair?" Serena asked suddenly, in the middle of their second movie.

"Ummm…sure?" said Lita.

Serena let out a squeal and scampered upstairs. She zoomed down again seconds later, arms full of brushes, pins, curlers, combs, spray bottle – the list went on and on.

"I stole most of it from my mom's room," Serena confided later in the evening. "I just use brushes and bobby pins for my hair. I don't even know what half of this stuff is!" she confessed gleefully, waving a spray bottle around. This did not exactly assure Lita, but so soothed was she by the rhythmic strokes of Serena's brushing that she saw no reason to dissent.

When Lita was young, she could vaguely remember that her mother had brushed her hair, and that she had enjoyed it. But in the lonely years since her parents' death, in which she rose every morning and yanked her stubbornly wavy hair into a ponytail, she had forgotten what made her mother's brushing so enjoyable. But now, as Serena hummed and stroked slowly, carefully, Lita remembered. It was a warm feeling, like being enveloped in a blanket. It was relaxing, it was soothing, it was wonderful. Made her feel precious.

This really was turning out to be a wonderful day.

"Your hair's like mine," Serena said out of the blue after she'd been brushing for a while. "It's…strong."

"Really? I'd never guess, with all the split ends I keep finding," said Lita ruefully.

Serena laughed. "Yeah, tell me about it." She fell silent, and Lita felt her hair being tugged gently. "No, but it's…I don't know. It's like mine. I can drag a brush through it, and it moves smoothly, And it just kind of goes back together even after the brush bristles separate it. My hair does that, too, otherwise I'd never be able to keep it so long. Although…" Serena giggled a little to herself, apparently at a private joke. "It seems to have a problem staying short, too. Anyways, I've done my friends' hair at sleepovers, and it's not like this. It breaks like that – " Serena snapped her fingers. "And gets all frizzy after you brush it. I wonder why."

_Maybe because we're Senshi_, both girls mused separately to themselves.

Comfortable silence followed again.

"Do you get your hair permed, Lita?" Serena asked.

Lita chuckled. It was a question she'd been asked many times. "Nope."

"Well. You're lucky, then," said Serena through a mouthful of bobby pins. "It's really pretty."

A warm glow spread in Lita's chest. "Thanks, Serena," she said shyly. "Thanks."

* * *

_Saturday morning:_

Serena awoke in the living room in front of the TV, cocooned in blankets like a caterpillar. Sunlight peeked in through the shuttered windows, and the mouth-watering aroma of warm syrup and sizzling bacon filled her nose.

Her first thought was that Darien must have snuck into her house again. A wide smile stretched her face. Then she remembered that Lita had slept over. And her smile faded a little, which made her feel rather guilty. So she compensated for it by making her smile EXTRA bright when she walked into the kitchen.

"GOOD MORNING!" she bubbled. "Lita, this smells so GOOOOOOOOOOD!"

Lita grinned around the straw she was chewing on. "Not just good, it's grrrrrrrrrreat!"

"Purrrfect!" returned Serena gleefully. And she fell onto a heaping plate of pancakes. With her mouth full, she grrrhumffled, "Wow, Yida, yorsh are mush fluhhier dan Dariensh!"

"Glad to hear it, if not understand it," replied Lita graciously. She frowned down at the newspapaer's morning crossword, which she had propped on her knees. "Okay, Serena, a 'misogynistic sculptor.' Nine letters."

Serena gulped down some orange juice. "What's miss – missosywhat?"

"I think it means you hate women." Lita frowned darkly at the crossword. "If one of my other answers is right, I think it starts with a 'p.' "

"Puh – puh – puh." Serena thought hard, her nose wrinkling in concentration as she chewed. "Oh!" She swallowed the pancakes that were in her mouth. "Pygmalion!"

"Yeah, he sure is a pig if he hates women," muttered Lita.

"No, no, Pygmalion was a sculptor!" Serena waved her arms around. "In mythology!"

"Mythology? Like the Greek stuff?" Lita said disbelievingly. "You mean you actually paid attention wen they taught as that stuff back in middle school?"

"Oh, yeah!" Serena nodded enthusiastically. "I liked mythology! It was like getting to read fairy tales in class!"

"Well, so who's Pygmalion, then?" asked Lita, already penciling the name into the squares.

"He was this sculptor guy who hated women," Serena explained. "But then he sculpted this knock-out babe of a statue who was drop-dead gorgeous. He fell in love with her and made this wish to the goddess of love that he would find a girl just like his sculpture. Aphrodite – that's the goddess of love – turned his statue into a real girl instead, and they lived happily ever after." Serena sighed happily.

"Sounds like Pinnochio on ecstasy," said Lita, not quite as enchanted.

Luckily, Serena didn't hear her. She was staring at the clock.

"OOH!" she shrieked, leaping up. "It's time for Xiaolin Showdown!" She zipped out of the kitchen to the living room and pounced on the remote. She heard Lita laughing at her but disregarded it, intent on turning on the TV and flipping it to the right channel. But something caught her eye: the local news network – which Darien must have had on the last time he was here, because SHE certainly didn't concern herself with world events – was broadcasting a youma attack at the north side mall. A LIVE one, according to the ticker.

Serena gasped and nearly broke the remote as she punched the off button for the TV. She cast a harried look at the kitchen – Lita hadn't heard, had she? No, she was still doing her crossword puzzle.

Serena had to go fight that youma. She couldn't let Lita know because Lita would want to come, and she might get hurt. Soooooooo…

* * *

Lita jumped as a sudden holler split the air: "OH NO, THE MAILMAN'S GETTING ATTACKED BY THE NEIGHBORS' SNAPPING TURTLE! STAY HERE, LITA, I'LL BE RIGHT BACK! HOLD ON, MR. MAILMAN, I'LL SAVE YOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

Once her heart rate had slowed down again, Lita poked her head in the living room. Her foot landed on something small and hard, and the TV screen lit up. She ignored it at first, crossing to the window to peer out for Serena. But then she heard the word "youma" and spun around.

A youma was attacking. This very second. At a grocery store just a few blocks away.

The realization clicked instantly in Lita's brain: Serena hadn't gone chasing after some mailman, she'd gone after a YOUMA.

"Damn it," groaned Lita and sprinted outside.

In the Tsukinos' living room, the breaking news broadcast rolled on, relaying video feeds of the three youma attacks taking place simultaneously across the city.

* * *

Ami's alarm clock was screaming. Somehow the sound slipped into her dream, and she was dreaming about her mother shouting at her to get up and stop wasting her life. Then she transformed into something huge and dark and groping, and Ami was flailing, screaming, and then the scream was cutting off as something disconnected her head from her throat –

She sat up. Her chest burned from breathing too hard; hr throat felt sore, as if she'd been screaming all night, and her sheets were wet and twisted around her. She whimpered and wrapped her arms around herself. She did not turn off the shrieking alarm clock. Its voice was too reassuring – an anchor she needed desperately to keep herself here and out of the nightmares.

As she sat trembling, the mundane issues of the day eventually filtered into her brain. _Juku today. No homework done. Have to swab leg wound to ward off infection. Wear long sleeves today to hide bruises _– oh, and it was going to be sweltering today.

She caught the bus to school instead of walking. Even so, her leg was trembling violently under her skirt when she finally collapsed in her desk.

The teacher apparently saw her pallor, for she laid a hand on Ami's forehead as she passed. Not expecting the gesture, Ami flinched backwards.

The teacher spoke not in English, as was customary at the school to improve the students' foreign language proficiency, but softly in Japanese. "Are you ill, Mizuno-san?"

Ami shook her head vehemently.

The teacher pursed her lips, eyebrows still furrowed in concern. "Do you have your makeup work from the past couple of weeks?"

"I…not all of them, Sensei." Avoiding the adult's eyes, Ami handed her a pitifully thin sheaf of papers – less than half of what she was supposed to have completed by today.

"I'll have to take off late points, Mizuno-san."

Ami ducked her head in a nod of comprehension.

"But I'll give you until Monday to complete them."

Ami looked up, speechless with gratitude. "S – s – sensei, thank you!"

Ami arrived back home just before noon and set immediately to work. Finishing everything would be difficult it would probably take her the rest of today and all of tomorrow, but it wasn't impossible. She would do it. She would get her life back in order, she had to –

**_Beep. Beep_.**

The scritch-scratch of Ami's pencil died.

She stared dumbly at the blinking youma detector. It would be so easy to ignore it…

* * *

Darien was dreaming. It was the same dream that he had become so accustomed to: the princess crying out. But it was strange. The past nights that he had spent in Serena's tree, the fog in the dream had been thinner, the princess' voice closer and louder. He had even been able to see an outline foe r form, which had been totally concealed by fog before – she wore a billowing dress and had hair even longer than Serena's.

But tonight, in his own bed, the dream had returned to its original static, with the princess' voice distant and her figure shrouded.

He wasn't sure if this was good or bad.

Even in a dreaming state, Darien was analytical.

He wasn't woken, like Serena, by sunshine, or like Ami, by an alarm clock. What roused him from his dreaming was the familiar sensation of Serena transforming.

He bolted straight up in bed, merely sitting still and staring into space for a moment as he rolled the taste around in his mouth. Yes, it was Serena, and she didn't seem _too _worried –

But by God, Lita better be with her, or there was going to be hell to pay. Little imp.

He crossed swiftly to the balcony and wrenched open the glass doors. He felt warm breeze on his shirtless chest for a minute before his tuxedo materialized around his body. He perched on the railing for a moment, his ears perking. Did he hear screaming? Coming from…he strained his ears, squinting across the horizon. There, a couple blocks away, where all those trees were – the park.

Within him, he could feel that the park was not where Serena was. But after all the simultaneous youma attacks the Dark Kingdom had engineered recently, he had no doubt that a youma was at the park.

He dropped from the railing, headed for the park. Odango would have to hold her own for a little while.

She would be able to do it.

Hopefully.

He was pretty sure, anyways.

Or – maybe he shouldn't.

No, but if there was a youma at the park and no other Senshi was there to fight it, the civilians there needed him more than Serena did. After all, the lives of many over the lives of one…

Right?

* * *

Sure enough, there was a youma at the park. A lot, in fact. This youma was capable of duplicating itself.

Which would have been bad enough in itself – but it was even worse because Ami – Sailor Mercury was there. And she was getting beaten badly.

Tuxedo Mask aimed a stream of a dozen roses at the one to the left. Long-haired, long-legged, and big-chested (A/N: Kind of like a Sailor Senshi. Or a Barbie.), it blurred and vanished. Tuxedo Mask concluded that it must have been the duplicate.

But then the youma duplicated itself again. And Mercury noticed his roses, turned to squint at him from the under the blood that dripped from a cut on her forehead. Fear flickered across her face, and she gasped out, "Mercury Bubbles!" to shield herself.

Fog sprayed everywhere. Now, Tuxedo Mask could not see Mercury OR the youma. He cursed internally, drawing his cane. He spun it deftly before him like a baton, trying to blow away some of the fog. But then the cane hit something solid that let out a feeble cry. Mercury, he guessed with a wince. He opened his mouth to apologize –

Then, next thing he knew, he was on the ground, wrestling with the slimy-skinned youma as it wrapped its arm around his neck and squeezed. First on instinct, he thrashed around, trying to break loose as black dots danced before his eyes. Then intellect took over, and he clenched his fists, two razor-stemmed roses materializing within them. He jammed them into the flesh behind him.

Her scream was horrible, especially since her mouth was right beside his ear. Worse than Serena's, even. He twisted away while she was writhing, spun back to her and buried his cane-blade in her chest.

Youma dust exploded in his face. He coughed and staggered away, grabbing a fistful of his cape to breathe into.

The fog was clearing. He hefted his cane once more and spun it, blowing the remaining patches away. The flavor of the Serena-spot in his mind changed; the adrenaline was fading, and he could feel her moving closer. She was headed towards him; she must have disposed safely of her youma.

His concern assuaged, he turned to check on Mercury. But what met his eyes was not one Senshi, but three.

In the center was an orange-clad Senshi whom he had never before lain eyes on. She greatly resembled Serena, and this in itself made Tuxedo Mask suspicious. But before anything else, he addressed Mercury.

"Mercury, please accept my apologies for hitting you," he said sincerely, removing his hat and inclining his head to her. Mercury cringed back. Guilt chewed on his guts when he saw how the skin around her eye was swelling and rapidly darkening to a deep purple. "If there's anything I can do to help – "

"I'd thank you to keep your hands off my Senshi from now on, Tuxedo Mask," interrupted the new Senshi. She stepped forward, blocking Mercury from the masked man's view.

Duly, Tuxedo Mask turned his attention to her, rather intrigued. _Her_ Senshi? "And you would be?"

There was no prideful lift of her chin, no pleasure in her voice as she answered. "I am the leader of the Princess' Senshi. Sailor Venus."

Tuxedo Mask quirked a wry eyebrow. "Really. I guess Sailor Moon's just their babysitter, then?"

"I am their TRUEleader." She lifted her gloved hands palms-up, almost in a 'beats me' gesture. But then something shimmered into existence in the spread palms – a gold chain embedded every few links with fat oval gems.

"And you, Tuxedo Mask," she continued, "are a threat."

**_HISS – CRACK!_**

He screamed.

Oh, God, he didn't think he'd ever screamed like that in his life, he didn't even sound human – the pain wasn't even human, how could something hurt this much – he could hear air hissing in and out of a hole in his neck, what had that bitch done to him with that damned chain –

His back slammed into a tree trunk, and he slid down it, writhing on his back amidst the acorns and tree roots like a snake with its head cut off– god, god, god – there came this hiss of that whip-chain of hers again – move, move, _movedamnit_ – he rolled away just in time – _god_ – now there was dirt in the huge wound she'd opened in his neck and chest –

The hissing stopped, he heard shouting, a screamed curse, then a venomous SCREAM -" _**ENDYMION**!" _And then_ - "I'M GOING TO **KILL YOU**!_"

His eyes cracked open, blurry was his vision; half of it obscured by golden sparks arcing hurriedly across his throat – there was something else, something gray wrestling, fighting with the orange bitch now – red had jumped into the fight –

* * *

Pain exploded. The taste of agony, red and salty and hot like blood, flooded her mouth and mind. Sailor Moon, smack dab in the middle of a jump between skyscrapers, nearly fell. Terror shot through her – not from her own danger but from his – she flung out a hand and grabbed the edge of the next building with the very tips of her fingers. Grunting and sweating and crying, she scrabbled and struggled her way up and then shot off again, bounding across the roof like the Easter Bunny. _Darien, Darien, Darien –_

* * *

Malachite had appeared and seized Venus roughly by the waist, yanking her and her Love Chain from the black-clad youth glowing golden on the ground.

"LET ME **GO!"** Venus snarled and backhanded him with a _crack!_ She scrambled out of his grip; he snatched her back again, throwing up a hasty shield in front of Tuxedo Mask – his prince, god, his prince – mere seconds before Venus' Love Chain lashed down again. "_**HE's **the one! He's the bloody bastard who screwed up our lives_ – "

Malachite teleported back to Beryl. And took Venus with him.

* * *

"BRING HER BACK!" Mars bellowed, her demand deafening to the ears in the park, but from Beryl's crystal ball, it sounded tinny and pleading.

"WITCH! **WITCH!**"screamed Sailor Venus as Malachite re-appeared and dragged her to Beryl's throne. She launched herself at the queen, cracking her Love Chain. It had been Endymion, the bastard who seduced her princess – "I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL BOTH OF YOU!"

With a mere wave of her hand, Beryl sent Venus flying. Venus wasn't finished, though – her chain hissed out and snapped around a stalactite. She hung safely for a moment, then dropped gracefully down into a crouch before advancing on Beryl again. "You KNEW! You KNEW he was Endymion – "

"I did not," said Beryl. Her voice was clear, but feverish; two red spots had appeared high in her cheeks, and her eyes glittered. "Oh, believe me, wench, I did not. If I had – oh, if I had…" Her eyes dragged back to the crystal ball, as though she was trying very hard to keep them from doing so but could resist the urge no longer. Tuxedo Mask's image appeared in it, the golden sparks darting across the huge bloody gash Venus had opened up. The healing golden sparks that belonged only to those of the Terran royal lineage – of Endymion, High Prince, Bearer of the Golden Crystal – she had finally found him –

"So many years I've been waiting, Endymion…" Her tongue slithered up and down her elongated incisors. "So many years…" She spun abruptly, plunking down in her throne. "You will bring him to me."

"I won't!" snarled Venus. "I'll kill him, I'll – "

"You won't," said Beryl sharply. "Or I'll kill your mate."

Venus did not visibly shrink, but through their bond, Malachite felt the wilting of her psyche.

"I hate you," she told Beryl.

"I'd be blind not to have noticed that, sweetness," returned Beryl. "Now begone. Don't tell your Senshi who he is."

"Please!" spat Venus. "They don't even know that Endymion existed, much less what he did!"

"Even so," said Beryl coolly. "Tell them you fought free of Malachite. Here, I'll give you some credibility." She twitched a finger. Glittering beryl shards shot from her fingers and hurtled towards Venus, shredding open cuts along every inch of her skin.

Venus screamed, cursing, and teleported out of the shard-hurricane and back to the park.

"Now, Malachite." Beryl beckoned him closer, her eyes still fastened hungrily. "You will bring him to me. I don't care how, but I want him soon. Yesterday, even. Use your lover if you must, but be sure she doesn't kill him. I leave the methods to your discretion."

She seemed to have forgotten that Endymion was Malachite's prince. Malachite's vowed liege. And also that she had just nearly killed his soul mate – for the _second_ time.

"Beryl – "

She did not even look at him. Merely held up a long finger and said as though bored, "Your soul mate or your prince, Malachite. I can drain the life from her body this very moment if you irk me. And you _are_ beginning to irk me."

Malachite gritted his teeth.

"Besides, it's not as though I'm going to _hurt _him," added Beryl, stroking Endymion's agony-contorted visage in the crystal ball. She smiled dreamily. "Our wedding night wouldn't be half as much fun if he were dead."

* * *

"TUXEDO MASK!" Sailor Moon screamed when she saw him. Chest heaving, she scrambled over to him on fatigued and trembling limbs.

His eyes were screwed tightly shut behind his mask. She dropped down on her knees beside him and knotted her hands together anxiously. She dared not touch him in case it disrupted the sparks' work somehow. "Darien…"

"Sailor Moon?"

At the cold, accusing voice, Serena looked up. And squinted at the Senshi who was walking out of the trees with tiny bloodstains all over her orange fuku.

"_Mina_?" She closed her eyes and checked again. "Mina! You're a _Senshi _– and you're hurt!"

Mina continued on as though Sailor Moon had not spoken. "You are an ally of this youth?"

"Ally?" repeated Sailor Moon distractedly, her eyes returning to Tuxedo Mask as he flinched a little. "Yeah – yes, allies. That's us."

Mina raised her palms, light beginning to glitter within them. "Then goodbye, Sailor Moon."

"Huh?" At Mina's cryptic remark, Sailor Moon turned around to look at her – just in time to see a deadly chain-whip hissing down through the air towards her.

A cry of terror fled Sailor Moon's lips – with one hand, she reached down to shield Tuxedo Mask, with the other, reached up to shield her head. Then, on a flash of intuition, she reversed that hand's direction. Instead, she grabbed her brooch tightly.

And the chain-whip passed right through her body. As though she were't even there.

Venus took a step back, staring down at Sailor Moon. The tiny blonde now looked rather angry, her cheeks flushed and brows knit, rising to her feet.

"You could have killed him!" she shouted.

"Or worse yet," called a new voice, "You could've killed _her_."

Sailor Jupiter appeared at the edge of the playground, panting slightly. Her ponytail was undone, leaving her hair to fall in shiny waves down her shoulders, and a bruise was swelling on one cheek, but she appeared otherwise unhurt. What she _did _appear was angry. You'd be mad too if you ran after your best friend because you thought she was fighting a youma, then discovered th eyouma but no best friend, then got into a fist-fight with the youma before finally killing it, and then overheard a bystander talking about an attack at the park, and ran all the way to the park to find the new kidn from school about to murder the best friend for whom you went through all that hullabaloo.

She stalked over to Sailor Moon, shaking her by the shoulders. "Pull another stunt like this morning ever again, and I'll – I'll – well, I'll never go hot guy-stalking with you ever again!"

The clueless Sailor Moon's jaw dropped open. Lita KNEW!

"So you have, then, Jupiter?" Mina's sad voice turned Lita's head. She turned to face the tall blonde, keeping herself in front of Serena like a shield. "I didn't want to believe it, but…"

"Believe what?"

Mina gazed at Jupiter for a long minute. "Don't mock me, Jupiter."

"Don't flatter yourself, chica," said Lita in her no-nonsense way. "I haven't got a clue what you're talking about. OR why you were about to slice Se – Sailor Moon in half. But you're going to tell me, aren't you?"

It was not a request but a demand.

"You don't remember anything, either!" Mina ran a hand through her hair. "Jupiter, this …" she gestured a hand at Serena. "This Sailor Moon isn't one of us. She didn't exist back in the Silver Millennium. And this youth, this Tuxedo Mask, he – " She hesitated, gritting her teeth. The two strings, yanking. _Damn you, Beryl…_ "He was one of the reasons our kingdom fell."

"I see…" said Sailor Jupiter, although the look she exchanged with an intently listening Sailor Moon clearly relayed that she didn't. "So just because Ser – _Sailor Moon_ didn't exist back in the Silver Whatever gives you the right to kill her?"

"She's a threat to our princess!" snapped Mina. "But never mind, Jupiter, clearly you don't want to hear the truth!"

Her voice broke a couple of times, to Jupiter and Moon's shock, and by the times she finished, tears ran freely down her face.

"Damn it, Jupiter!" The orange Senshi summoned her chain again. Stuffed-up and mucusy, her voice rose to a garbled scream. "I thought I could depend on you!"

Before she could draw back the chain to crack it, Lita lunged. The two Amazons flew backwards, landing in the grass, tussling violently for the chain. Punches and slaps rang in the air; Sailor Moon cried out and ran forward to pry them apart. Mars seized her by the arms and swung her around in a circle, then let go. Moon's momentum carried her headfirst into a tree trunk. She crumpled at its roots.

"STOP!" Mercury cried, sobbing. She grabbed at Mars' arms. "Stop, stop, please!"

Luna yowled and leapt for Sailor Moon while she swayed, dazed, by the tree. But by some coincidence – or perhaps not – a sudden breeze blew a tree branch careening into the black cat. Luna flew backwards, receiving a fate similar to Sailor Moon's.

Sailor Moon, who hadn't even noticed Luna coming after her, much less the tree's commendable job of dealing with her, pushed herself to her feet. Swaying, she looked around frantically for Tuxedo Mask – but he had vanished from the spot where he had lain.

Horrible images of one of the Dark Kingdom generals carrying him off filled her head - but then black swirled in the corner of her eye. She spun and gasped, relieved, as she spotted him crouched high up on a tree branch.

He was watching the brutal match between Lita and Mina, but he seemed to sense her gaze, for he glanced down at her. He extended his cane to her, and she stared at it for a moment before closing her fingers around it. The next thing she knew, she sat beside him on the tree branch. One hand lingered securely on her waist, as though he didn't trust her not to fall.

His attention turned back to the fight, and she took an instant to scrutinize him. Dirt, sweat, and blood begrimed his face and tux; his crisp white shirt and black vest were torn and hung forlornly at the junction where his shoulder met his throat. But the skin there was smooth; the huge, gaping wound that Venus' chain had torn in his flesh had vanished. The golden sparks had done their job once more, thank God.

Assured that he was alright, she gripped his sleeve. "Darien, we've got to stop them fighting!"

He glanced over at her, eyes cool behind his mask. "Why? Lita's beating that bitch into a pulp."

Serena reeled back, and would have fallen if not for his nonchalant grip on her. Darien barely ever swore in front of her – or anyone else, so far as she knew – other than the 'h' and 'd' words.

"Yeah, and Lita's getting beaten just as badly!" she shot back, recovering quickly. "Besides, we can't let them fight each other! They're both Senshi!"

"You didn't see what she did to me," Tuxedo Mask said fiercely.

"No, but I _felt _it!" retorted Sailor Moon. She backpedaled. 'Wait – _Mina _was the one who did that to you?"

"Mina, Venus, whatever her damned name is." He frowned suddenly. "Wait, Mina – the new girl you were talking about?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Damn it, Serena, what is with your freaking friends?" he muttered, then shifted. "I'm going down there to help Kino. You stay here."

"Oh, I don't think so!" cried Sailor Moon. She hopped down herself before he could, and got whapped in the face by quite a few bushes in reward. "You're not their leader, _I _am. I'll deal with this. Don't you interfere with _my _Senshi, Shields."

She strode purposefully forward.

"You might not want to call them _your _Senshi in front of little Miss Aphrodite complex," muttered Tuxedo Mask, dropping to the ground far more gracefully than Sailor Moon.

He briefly considered following her into the melee, then decided that Serena didn't get serious and territorial often, and that when she did, like she just had, she probably meant it. Meant it as in "Shields, I'll kick your butt and sic Asanuma and his Polaroid on you if you interfere."

So he settled for prowling around the edges of the Senshi war.

"Hey!" Sailor Moon yelled. "Hey!" With no response, she finally tapped her odango barrettes and tried again. They amplified her shout into a roar –

"**HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!**"

Motion ceased. All heads turned to look at her. Lita took the opportunity to kick the two Senshi off of her, then strode over to Sailor Moon with as much dignity as she could. (Which was not much, as Mars had singed her skirt so that it was five inches shorter than usual – and it was only nine to begin with.)

"Lita, you could retransform and fix that," Sailor Moon whispered to her.

Jupiter scowled darkly, eyeing Venus. "I'll wait."

Sailor Moon cast both Mars and Venus an apprising look, then walked slowly and nonthreateningly to where Mercury slumped against a tree. Trusting Jupiter to watch her back, she knelt beside the sorely beaten girl-child.

"Ami," she whispered, slipping her hand through Mercury's own. "Ami, you don't have to do this."

Mercury was trembling very violently; if her glasses had been on, they would have tumbled off with all the shaking. Her teeth chattered.

Sailor Moon stilled Ami's vibrating jaw with a gentle hand. She smoothed Ami's hair back from her forehead and said again, "Ami."

Slowly, tremulously, Ami forced her gaze up to Sailor Moon's own.

"I don't think you should come to battles anymore, Ami," said Sailor Moon softly. "This isn't the life for you. Give the youma detector to Luna. I don't want you to worry about this ugliness anymore."

"N-no," stammered Ami. "I – I can't. I'm not strong like you, Serena. I can't stand up to them. Luna would kill me, I – I don't – " her voice broke, she swallowed, eyes desolate as glaciers. "I don't have friends like you, Serena. I've tried, but I'm just – I just – I can't."

"You _can,_ Ami," Sailor Moon urged. "I'm your friend. I'll protect you."

"STOP IT!" The shout rang out. "Witch, stop poisoning her!"

Sailor Moon ignored the order, squeezed Ami's hand.

Then something heavy slammed into the side of her head.

Her hand slipped out of Ami's.

Her body flew into the air. Then fell. Smashed into the ground.

Blurred became the world. Red smears flew every which way; blonde hair whipped; white gloves flashed with oranges and yellows and greens; black swallowed gold.

And then black swallowed everything.

* * *

A/N: Cliffhanger! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease review! Save me from the post-present blues! 


	30. Blood and Tiramisu

A/N: Several things to cover: first, apologies for not posting in so long and leaving that cliffhanger. The backspace key came off my keyboard (any other key, I could have lived without!), so we sent it back to the manufacturer, and then there was a bunch of drama and delay, and I still don't have it back, so I've been typing on me mam's laptop when I can. This chapter would be a lot longer if not for THAT, because I have a lot more typed but not enough, and – well, suffice to say that this is the only part that I can post because if I posted the rest without having EVERYTHING done, things would be ruined for you all. Not to be cryptic, or anything.

Disclaimer: If I owned Sailor Moon, the Sailor Scouts would wear shorts under their skirts. But I might have used this disclaimer before.

* * *

**Subject to Change**

Chapter Thirty:

Blood + Tiramisu Bittersweet

* * *

"Go! I'll hold 'em off!"

"No!" Tuxedo Mask growled, spearing Jupiter with a sapphire glare. His grip tightened around the cape-wrapped bundle he had snatched into his arms. "You're coming with us. We'll deal with them if they follow us!"

Jupiter's fists clenched – oh, how she wanted to bash that witch's teeth in for whipping Serena – she cast one last look over her shoulder at the clearing. Venus was merely standing there, that bloodied whip-chain still clenched in her fists. She seemed to be watching them. As Jupiter's eyes locked on hers, the blonde lifted a hand. She extended it towards Jupiter, as though beseeching her to come back.

Jupiter spat at her. Then she turned and blurred into pursuit of Tuxedo Mask and the precious bundle he carried.

Several minutes later, they paused atop the roof of one of the building bordering the park. Panting hard, Jupiter shoved her sweaty bangs out of her eyes and looked at Tuxedo Mask. He panted only slightly, his attention focused inward.

A patch of the cape wrapped around Serena was darker than the rest. As Lita watched, it spread. She gulped, looking up at Shields.

"What do we do?" she heard herself ask hoarsely.

"My apartment," he answered, then, as though assuring himself, repeated, "My apartment."

Lita frowned, swiping her wrist across the busted lip Mina had given her to wipe away some of the blood. Her eyes fell again to the spreading dark patch on his cape. "I think we need to take her to the hospital –"

Darien's residual mistrust of hospitals reared up like a roaring lion. "MY APARTMENT!" he thundered, eyes flashing.

Even Lita quailed before this outburst. She shut up and followed him docilely.

Within moments, Tuxedo Mask landed on his balcony. He jerked his head at Lita to open the glass door. She complied, and he swept in, kicking aside his desk hair to clear the path to the bed. Kino hurried to yank down the bed covers before he laid Serena down.

As he set Serena gently down on the sheets, he noticed suddenly that she wore not her fuku but her favorite frilly pink pajamas. She had detransformed some time on the journey here – not good.

"Is she bleeding?" Jupiter wanted to know.

"Yes," said Tuxedo Mask shortly. He turned Serena's head with his gloved fingers gently, ever so gently, to its uninjured side so he could examine her hemorrhaged temple.

"Lita." Anxiety devoured his insides; he tried to keep his breathing from tangling. "There…there's a black case in the upper left cabinet of my kitchen, I need it."

Lita ran.

Like a razor slicing through skin, a memory sliced through his concentration.

_"So I have my sparks,"_ _he said to the blonde walking beside him. "What about Senshi? How do you heal from battle injuries?"_

_Serena rubbed her forehead with a palm. "Well, we don't really get life-threatening injuries all that often."_

_The hesitance in her voice made him dig deeper. "But if you did?" he persisted. "How do you heal?"_

_"Well…we don't."_

"Odango, Odango, Odango," he whispered. His thumb rubbed circles on her cheek, trying to wake her up. He dared not do anything else lest he adversely affect her condition. "C'mon, Odango, wake _up_…please…"  
She did not stir, and his breath grew more shallow. His words from the day before floated back to him…'red badge of courage,' and that was exactly what that clump of red oozing slowly from her temple was and bile was rising in his throat and he hated himself and he hated that blonde witch and –

Lita burst into the room with his black first-aid kit. He tore it open like a lion ripping into a gazelle and set to work.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he mopped the crusting blood from around the head wound opened up by the Senshi's heavy chain. Breath hissed from between his teeth when shreds of skin came off with the blood.

Lita helped as much as she could, cleaning the gunk from Serena's hair as tenderly as she could.

Eventually, Tuxedo Mask dressed the wound in soft white gauze. He leaned back, swiping the perspiration from his forehead and knocking the mask from his face. But as he watched, crimson blossomed on the pristine white. It was soon soaked.

Darien replaced it with a new bandage, this time keeping his hands pressed on it to apply pressure. But he received the same result.  
He grew more and more frantic by the second. God, God, God, God, God – if only he were older and in medical school! Then he would know what to do, how to treat head trauma like this – well, he knew what he should do, and that was take her to the hospital – but the questions that would be asked – and she'd be taken out of his sight, vulnerable to the Senshi –

"No way!" Lita's astonished voice broke through his thoughts.

"What?" he bit out tensely.

Lita had frozen in front of his mirror. Her eyes flicked to him, abashment crossing her face at distracting him.

"Nothing," she said quickly. "Just – my lip was split wide open like ten minutes ago!" She pointed at her mouth, which looked totally uninjured now. "And now it's…gone!"

Darien stared at her. Actually, now that he noticed, Lita's face had been bruised black and blue a while ago, too, but now it was its usual rosy tan –

No, not Lita's face – _Sailor Jupiter_'s face!

He bit his lip. Surely it wasn't so simple…

But there was no other explanation for how quickly Sailor Jupiter had healed. The girls' Senshi forms must accelerate healing.

Serena needed to transform.

He spun back to her, grabbing her forearms and gripping them tightly.

"Wake up, Serena! Wake up!" No response. "Serena, I _need _you to wake up!"

The bandage was soaked again. He replaced it, speaking to her in a quickly breaking voice, promising milkshakes, tiramisu, to do her homework for the rest of her educational career. He uncorked smelling salts, Lita made pancakes and passed the steaming stack under Serena's nose; they tickled her, they placed an ice cube against her skin!

But nothing was working, God, God, God, _nothing _was _working_!

The sun was falling into its bed when the idea hit him.

He could sense her emotions when she was transformed, and vice versa. So if emotions could be passed along the link, logically, he should be able to communicate with her, however rudimentarily – somehow make her wake up to transform– it was their last chance –

Darien let his eyes fall shut, willing his breathing to calm. Lifted his arms shakily before him, closed his fingers around the familiar string that linked them –

No, not a string. It was thicker than it used to be. More like a rope now.

As he clutched it tightly, he was alarmed by the absence of emotion that he found. Usually, upon contact with the string/rope, he felt Serena's emotions amplified.

That he could sense nothing now meant that there was nothing in her to sense.

Not good.

Well…so now that he held the rope, what did he do to communicate with Serena?

Pull it?

It seemed like the only reasonable option.

Bracing himself for backlash, he tugged a little. He felt something give, like roots loosening in soil.

He took a deep breath and _yanked_.

It was like a floodgate bursting open. But instead of water, _Serena_ crashed down on him. Not her body. Her self. Images and sounds and thoughts and laughter and colors and tears and tastes and smells and light. Her mommy's hair was so soft in her chubby fingers cats scared her silver flashing Mommy had wanted to name her Crystal cold metal she had a bunny named Bubbles when she was six Kai in math in eight grade was so handsome Odango Atama a wild cat killed Bubbles Tuxedo Mask smelled like roses when he caught her a girl crying Tuxedo Mask's cape was her favorite thing in the world after Motoki's French fries Daddy chased away the wild cat with a baseball bat black and red Sammy thought her alter ego was cool there was a boy in the hospital when Sammy was born Lita's fried shrimp Mommy always craved dumplings when she was expecting her stomach grumbling Bubbles was buried in the backyard next to Sammy's turtle she had decided during story time that that boy in the hospital was going to be her magic prince like in the storybook a golden locket Daddy made fun of Mommy by putting her hair up in odangoes sapphires watched her masks and goggles salty fog –

_'Odango!_'_ Darien shouted, voice gurgling as he struggled to keep his had above the deluge. 'Odango! Wake up! You have to wake up and transform, Odango Atama!'_

_'E…endy…'_

_'Wake up, Odango Atama!' he yelled as loudly as he could. "Wake up and TRANSFORM!'_

He dropped the rope, blinking sweat from his eyes. Looked up.

"Odango!"

"Wha'…" she licked her dry lips, blue eyes still very hazy. Only one was moving, struggling to focus on him; her right eye, closest to her wound, seemed paralyzed. "Wha're you wakin' me up for, Shielz?"

Her voice slurred like a drunk truck driver's, but he thought he'd never heard anything so wonderful in his life.

"Odango," he enunciated slowly and clearly, gripping her hands very tightly in his to keep her from falling back to sleep. "You have to transform. Okay?"

"Shure…" mumbled Serena, her eyelids drooping back down. "Wha'eva you shay…"

"Serena!" he dug his fingers into her waist – her most ticklish spot. She jerked awake again, her startled eyes locking onto his. Her pupils were HUGE, as big as nickels, swallowing her blue irises. "I need you to do it _now_."

Dizzily, her arm weaving crazily through the air as she held the brooch in the air, she garbled as though with a mouth full of molasses. "Moo'…Prizhm…Powa'…"

Darien had never before been witness to one of Sailor Moon's transformations. He raptly watched the dazzling lights that exploded around him. Lita, coming into the room, recognized from her own transformation what was coming next, and lunged at him.

"DON'T WATCH THAT!" she yelled, yanking an oven mitt over his skull. "HENTAI!"

Darien 'mrghmple'd something, wrestling crazily with the oven mitt. Lita waited until the ribbons had appeared around Serena's form, then yanked the mitt from his head. He was left with crazily uplifted tufts of hair.

Lita chuckled. "I've seen hat hair, even helmet hair," she said. "But mitt hair, that's something new, Shields."

"Glad you're so proud of your handiwork," said Darien, disgruntled, running his fingers through his hair like combs. He looked at Sailor Moon; her eyes had closed again. "Wha'd you do that for, anyways?"

"Believe me, you'll thank me for it someday," Lita told him. "I probably just saved your life. Serena would have killed you if you saw that."

Darien gave her a weird look. "Whatever." He moved back to the bedside, sifting some of Serena's bangs through his fingers. She was sleeping again, her tiara heavy on her brow.

"What did you do?" Lita asked, sticking a straw in her mouth like a pipe and staring at him.

"Woke her up and made her transform." Darien gave her the concise version; he wasn't sure how he felt about other people knowing about his and Serena's mental connection. "I think that when you guys are in your Senshi forms, you heal faster. Hence the disappearance of your split lip."

"That makes sense." Lita chewed the straw tensely, then sighed and folded herself down to sit against the bed. "What now?"

"Now," said Darien tiredly, "we wait."

* * *

Two o'clock.

Darien pressed the button for the thirty-first floor and sighed, letting his back hit the elevator wall. A grocery bag nestled in his grip, bulging with junk food. The cashier at the grocery store – a young woman who somehow always managed to have an empty aisle when Darien was ready to check out – had wondered aloud if he was having a party.

He had given her a weary smile and shaken his head. She had noted that, well, he usually only bought a bunch of healthy stuff and coffee, and too bad he wasn't having a party cause she though it would be one she'd really like to go to. Exhausted Darien endured it all with his polite smile, and thought that Serena better appreciate what he was going through just because he had bought all her favorite calorie-rich, artery-choking foods – including tiramisu.

Misgiving chewed away at him as he watched the floor numbers slowly light up. Nineteen, twenty, twenty-one… She still hadn't woken up. The wound, magically enough, had almost completely vanished – it was now only a rather large scab – but that meant nothing if she didn't wake up. Even if the wound had healed on the outside, there could be shards of skull that had penetrated her brain or cut off its blood flow. Darien wasn't in medical school yet, but he had read enough medical texts and watched enough episodes of ER to know that such an outcome was a common result of head trauma.

What if she didn't wake up?

Swallowing, Darien modified the horror of that question by adding 'today.' What if she didn't wake up _today_? Should he take her to the hospital, consequences be damned?

Twenty-nine, thirty…

Thirty-one.

He stepped out. Walked to his door. Fished out his key.

Then paused. He stared at the door unseeingly.

He licked his lips.

He shifted from foot to foot.

He gripped the key so tightly within his hand that it bit into his palm.

Finally, when the elevator pinged behind him, and footsteps emerged, and it would have been too strange for the footsteps' owners to see him waiting outside his own apartment – he clumsily stuffed the key into the lock and turned the knob.

And heard laughter.

He froze, not daring to believe it.

But then a throatier, deeper laugh joined the first, and that was when he knew.

She was awake.

"Oh, God," he breathed in abject thanks, the grocery bag slipping from his arms. As it slid down his chest, he started and caught it. No, he had promised Odango tiramisu if she woke up, and tiramisu she would get, dammit!

One-handed, he yanked open the silverware drawer, retrieved a handful of forks; opened a cupboard and grabbed paper plates; then he turned and marched down the hall.

Serena was already looking at the doorway when he appeared at it, as though expecting him. For a moment, he wondered if she had somehow sensed him; then, when Lita said, "Geez, we thought there were elephants stampeding out there!" he realized that his plate and fork snatching had been rather audible.

His face reddened; to hide it, he plunked the grocery bag down on the foot of the bed.

"You keep an eye on that and make sure it doesn't fall," he said crossly to Lita. She grunted and lifted a besocked foot to prop it up.

Darien crossed to the head of the bed, where Serena sat up propped by pillows. She watched him approach, her blue eyes tired but bright. "Hi."

"Hey." He perched on the edge of the bed. "Head down."

"It's fine, Lita looked at it – " Her protest died as he looked fiercely at her, and she bowed her head, stubbornly tilting it so that he couldn't see the temple Mina's chain had hit.

"Odango…" he trailed off expectantly, but she didn't move her head, so he moved it for her. Of course he couldn't help but notice that her hair was very, very soft, and that even though she still wore her Senshi fuku, she or Lita had uncoiled her hair from its buns, and now it hung loose and rippled.

He dismissed these thoughts in favor of examining her temple, and only the smallest scar was evident. Finished with her temple, he now turned her head towards him to examine her eyes. During the long eternity of a night, he had researched head trauma on the internet and pinpointed that she had probably suffered from a hematoma. Two symptoms were pupil dilation and eye paralysis on the side of the hematoma.

Her pupils appeared to have returned to normal size; there was certainly enough blue left in her eyes to drown in. He cleared his throat and turned her face slightly away from him so that the injured temple faced him. Watching her eye closely, he ordered, "Look at me."

Her head moved, and he rolled his eyes, turning it gently back. "No moving," he said. "Just with your eyes, I want to check something."

And he breathed a sigh of relief when both eyes moved to their corners without trouble to peer curiously at him.

He let his hands fall then. "Looks good," he said, and she grinned. "Can I detransform now?"

Darien grimaced. If he had his way, she'd stay in her Senshi form for another week… "I guess."

"Yes!" Serena pumped a fist in the air, then clasped it about her brooch. A flash of light and some rippling ribbons later, she was in her ruffly pink pajamas again. "Aw, much comfier. Hmm…now what's in this bag from my favorite store in the world?" she said, crawling out from under the covers and kneeling next to the grocery bag. She peered into it. "Ooh! Tiramisu!"

"Right," said Darien, and handed out plates and forks. "But wait, Serena, before you have dessert, first you need some carbohydrates. Here, I got this pasta, and here's chicken, and drink this glass of…"

"Aw, lay off, Shields." Lita yawned. "Let the kid eat what she wants."

"She can eat what she wants after she eats what she _needs_," replied Darien. He turned back to Serena with the mountain of green, leafy stuff, and was met by her quivering lips and watering eyes. "Oh, for God's sake, Serena!"

Serena just kept staring mournfully at him.

"Oh, fine…" he muttered. He relinquished the tiramisu to her and then stomped out of the room, muttering, to put the groceries away.

Lita winked at Serena. "He's glad you're up."

* * *

The three spent that night at Serena's house. Lita camped out next to Serena's bed while Darien took the couch downstairs. Serena had wanted to go home and not inconvenience Darien further, but he didn't want to let her out of his sight, so Serena's house was the result of a compromise.

Lita, this being her second night at Serena's house, easily found all the cooking implements to concoct a mild but delicious meal. While she worked her magic in the kitchen, Darien walked Serena through her homework – luckily, there wasn't much.

Darien insisted on an early bedtime for Serena, and Lita was only too glad to follow suit, since she'd barely slept the night before. By seven-thirty, the two girls were snoring away.

The Sandman was not as merciful to Darien, however. The eleventh-grader's exhaustion from earlier that afternoon had been burned away by anxiety, and he sat motionless on the couch, staring at CNN on the TV screen. He paid not one whit of attention to whatever Christiane Amanpour was saying about blizzards in the north. Instead, his brain toiled over their situation.

This new Senshi, Venus, appeared to hate Serena just as much as – if not more than – Luna and Rei did. And worse, her attacks had been ten times more powerful and vicious than any of Mars' had ever been.

Furthermore, youma attacks had quadrupled. Four had attacked simultaneously today – one Serena had taken care of, one Jupiter had taken care of, one he had taken care of at the park. But the last one, across town – at a golf course, of all place! – had gotten away unscathed and left two senior citizens dead from its energy suckage, according to CNN .

During the attack at the arcade, there had also been multiple youma attacks, and before that, on the day of the movies. This had to mean something. That the Dark Kingdom was powering up for a large-scale attack?

But on how large a scale? Neighborhood-wide, city-wide, country-wide? _World-wide_?

There was no way to be sure.

And there was no way to stop them if that _was_ what they were planning.

Anything larger than a city-wide attack would decimate the Senshi. And there was nothing they could do to change that,

Impatience writhed like a squid within his stomach. Why was he sitting here in front of the television and doing NOTHING while the Dark Kingdom powered up to swallow the whole planet?

The answer was clear as healthy mucus. Because there was nothing else he COULDdo. There were no youma about, and he had no way of locating the Dark Kingdom. It was located in a whole different dimension, for God's sake!

Basically, all he could do was wait to die.

Huzzah.

_Pit-pat_.

His ears perked, and he turned his head towards the stairs, glancing at the Tsukinos' grandfather clock as he did so. One-thirty.

The footsteps, too quiet and close together to be Lita's, entered the kitchen. They were accompanied by a small rustling sound that Darien puzzled over as he listened.

He heard the fridge open and close, then a crunching sound. Odango appeared a moment later, shuffling towards him and drowsily rubbing her eyes with a balled-up fist. Her hair was down, and it dragged on the floor, obviously the source of the rustling noise.

"You're still up?" she yawned, reaching a spot a few steps away from him and standing there.

"Yes." Darien frowned at her in the dark. "Why aren't you in bed?"

She smiled, slowly growing more and more awake. "Oh, I always come down for a midnight snack."

"You're late even for midnight snacks, I see." He tilted his head towards the clock, with the slightest stress on 'midnight.'

She grinned a little and settled down on the carpet, her back against the couch he sat on. She had a blanket wrapped around her.

Another crunch.

"What are you eating?"

"Celery," she said, and he heard another crunch. "Aren't you proud of me? I'm eating green stuff."

"Yeah…good job," said Darien, grimacing a little. Celery was the one vegetable he absolutely couldn't stand the taste of. What irony. "You eat that every night?"

"Yup." He heard her chewing – celery was a very loud vegetable. Almost as loud as the Odango herself. More irony. "It's probably why I always wake up late," she reflected suddenly. "I should probably stop."

"Yeah. Maybe." A little pause. "I always had you pegged as the sort of person

who'd never leave bed at night for fear of things that go bump in the night."

"Yeah, well…I kinda had to get over that when I started sneaking out to fight youma." Another pause. "Celery's good for getting the taste of blood out of your mouth."

If Darien thought this was a strange thing to say, he didn't show it. "You do bite your lip a lot."

"And my tongue." Her blonde hair bobbed up and down before his eyes. "I should probably stop."

"Yeah. Probably."

"Darien…" The crunching was silent. "What… happened yesterday?"

He licked his lips. Took a deep breath against the rage still boiling in his veins. "That chain thing of hers whipped you in the head – "

"No, not to me." He could barely hear her quiet voice. "What happened to _you_? When I got there, you were – you were – "

"Screaming like a girl?" he suggested bitterly. "Yeah. She'd just flogged me with that whip, too."

His hand rose unconsciously to his throat, where he could still remember the screaming agony of dirt and leaves and pine needles digging into raw flesh.

"Why?" whispered Serena. She had turned around now, her eyes intent on his and her fingers clenching tightly the material of his sweatpants.

He lowered his hand. "Well…" he said, thinking back. "She introduced herself as Sailor Venus, the Senshi's leader. I mentioned that was supposedly your job, she pulled out the whip, said I was an enemy, and walloped me."

He frowned; in his anxiety over Serena's condition, he had not reviewed this memory until now, and he was remembering things he hadn't noticed before.

"It threw me into a tree, and my sparks started working…and then she started shrieking." His eyes bored into space as he thought. "She was hissing mad – something about killing me – or maybe about killing someone else? She was talking about an En – Endu – Endymion?" he faltered, frowning at himself. "It sounded familiar…"

"She said _Endymion_?" Serena breathed, eyes wide.

"Yeah." He shook his head to clear it and stared at her. "Yes. Why? Have you heard it?"

"Yes." She exhaled. "I told you – remember? Didn't I? In my dreams – in those dreams where the man wants me to find the crystal – I call him Endymion."

"Well, if Venus wants to kill him, he can't be that bad," Darien muttered.

"But who is he?" murmured Serena. "If he wants the crystal…does that make him bad or good?"

Darien stared at her for a long moment. Serena stared back uneasily.

"It's…unsettling," Darien said at last, sounding as uneasy as Serena looked, "to contemplate someone evil being in _your _dreams. Not so much unsettling as extremely disturbing, actually – tell me about your dreams again?"

Serena – remembering that the first time she had told Darien about her dreams, she had left out the bit about always tasting blood flowing out of her mouth – decided reluctantly that perhaps she ought to mention that now. Suppose there _was_ a member of the Dark Kingdom influencing her dreams?

But the man in her dreams – she had always wanted to badly to reach out and help him –

But was that persuasive magic, perhaps? Like the sort Nephrite had used on Molly?

"There was something I didn't tell you the first time," Serena admitted wretchedly.

It was dark, so she couldn't see his expression, but she saw his shadowy outline stiffen.

"I think – I think I'm dying in the dreams," Serena blurted out all in once breath. As though that would make it easier.

"Th-there's blood in my mouth when I'm calling out to Endymion. It's like – it's like – " She struggled, trying to find words to make him understand. "Like when you're about to throw up, and all that hot spit comes rushing into your mouth. The blood's like that, like's I've been…stabbed. Like…"

Her voice, if it had been quiet before, was now barely loud enough to be called a whisper. "Like Miss Lanai's picture."

Her voice cracked, and she yelled internally at herself. If he knew that she was upset, he'd be even angrier!

"Darien?" she whispered after minutes had passed and he had not spoken. "Darien, please say something? I'm sorry for not telling you…"

The silence was prying cold fingers into her soul and freezing every good thought, leaving only the old terrors that slept within her – invisible phantoms smirking silently in the corners, skeletons waiting in the closet, snakes lurking beneath the furniture, arms reaching from the yawning doorways, death feasting in the bedrooms –

"Darien!" she cried, lurching to her feet and scrambling for the lamp. Something grabbed her wrist, she screamed, the lamp clicked on, but it still had her, weren't they supposed to vanish in the light –

"Calm down. Calm down," he said, and it was his hand on her arm, and his voice in her ears, and his shoulder she huddled against when she couldn't help it any more and burst out crying.

Darien rubbed a hand mechanically in hopefully soothing circles on Serena's shoulder blade. Here was yet another illustration of how hopeless the situation was. A Dark Kingdom agent was very likely influencing Serena's dreams and perhaps even invading her mind, but there was nothing they could do about it.

Not a single thing.

He hated this. He hated this feeling of being so helpless, so handicapped. This was why he needed to become a doctor – so he could _do_ something. Make a difference! What was there for him here? Homicidal adolescent girls and talking cats and energy-sucking creatures from another dimension. All served with a generous helping of stress.

_But it would be selfish to leave,_ whispered his conscience.

Of course it would be selfish. But people had to do selfish things, hadn't he told Serena just that? People had to do selfish things – and leaving would only be one selfish thing. One single selfish decision couldn't make that big a difference.

_It does when you're flying to the other side of the world for a minimum four years. And leaving a teenage girl in the midst of a throng of bloodthirsty monsters._

Here's what's selfish, injected a new, more caustic voice. Pondering the finer points of egocentricity when Serena's scared to death that she's going to be murdered.

Slowly, he surfaced from his musings. Became aware of Serena's hiccoughs and tears beside him. Felt her hair in his fingers.

"Shh…" he whispered. "It's okay. We won't let anything happen to you, Serena. We won't."

"But you can't do anything." Her voice shook and cracked and broke. "And I can't do anything either, we're all just _stuck_, and nothing's going right! You almost died today and I couldn't do _anything…_"

"_I_ almost died today?" Darien's hands tightened in her hair. "Serena, I had my sparks! _You _almost died today! Do you even know what happened?"

She sniffled. "I…I just remember everything going black."

"Yeah, well that's because Sailor Venus nailed you in the HEAD with that damned chain! You were bleeding like crazy, Serena, I didn't know whether to take you to the hospital or keep everything secret, and you kept BLEEDING and you wouldn't wake up and – " He shoved a hand through his hair. "I was sure you were going to die."

Serena's face was so pale it glowed in the dim light. Her widened eyes told him that she had indeed been unaware of these happenings while languishing in her unconscious state. "Why didn't I?"

He smiled half-heartedly. "You've got Kino to thank for it. She noticed her lip – Venus busted it all up in that fight – was suddenly gone. And I looked, and all her bruises were gone, too – it didn't make any sense, until I realized that she was still in her fuku. I thought maybe your Senshi forms accelerated healing, so we needed you to wake up and transform. I…" he paused. Would Serena feel violated by the taste he'd had of her mind? "Used our bond thing."

"That was you?" she gasped. "I thought it was just my life flashing before my eyes!"

"No, that was me," he admitted. "That was interesting, though. How you got your hairstyle."

"Well," she said, flushing. "Now I can't yell at you for calling me Odango anymore, because you know it's the truth."

"You haven't yelled at me for calling you Odango in ages anyway. I think it doesn't bother you anymore."

She quirked a small smile. "I guess." Then she hesitated. "Could you…I mean, I…would you…?"

"Sure." Darien dragged himself off the couch and took her hand, leading the way upstairs. He felt her hair brushing against his arm as she glanced this way and that, straining her eyes to pierce the shadows. "Corny as it sounds, it's easier if you imagine the darkness as a friend. Shadows aren't bad; they couldn't exist without light."

"It's not the shadows that scare me, it's what hides in them." Her grip tightened as they passed the open doorway of her brother's room. Almost there…

"Darien?"

"Hmm?"

"You…do you think that Miss Lanai's painting was real?" Her voice was the whisper of a child who asks a parent a question they want answered in a negative. He could feel, in her wrist against his skin, that her pulse thrummed wildly.

"No," he said, helping her gently into bed and pulling the covers to her shoulders. He looked down at her and smoothed her bangs back. "No."

Her chest deflated in a huge sigh, and he knew that lying had been the right choice.

"Go to sleep," he said. "Your moon's right outside your window, Jupiter's sleeping right beside you, and – well, some weird guy with roses and no apparent celestial body to claim as his own is downstairs." She smiled a little. "You're safe."

"But are you safe?" she whispered.

"Me?" he laughed softly. "Like I said, I'm just some guy in a top hat and cape. No one's after me. Now sleep." He passed his hand over her pillow, and star-shaped white flowers appeared there. A soothing, jasmine-like fragrance wafted from them, and instinctively he knew that they would draw her into slumber.

* * *

A/N: May I be so bold as to ask what you thought of the healing scene and Darien's venture into Serena's mind? 


	31. From Whence Hatred Springs

Disclaimer: I would never even deserve to own Sailor Moon after how long this story has been left to rot. Granted, it was more like aging than rotting, I would think. Pretend this was just a long break the story needed to mature like wine. (Winces as readers throw 'matured' fruit.)

L

**A quick refresher summary of the last couple chapters:** Sailor Moon has been deemed a traitor by Luna, who believes that Sailor Moon is working for the Dark Kingdom. Why? Because Sailor Moon confronted Luna with the fact that the Sailor Senshi's souls were sold for the princess. How else could Serena know that piece of highly classified information if she was not a traitor?

In truth, Sailor Moon learned about this from Zoicite, who also told her that her bond with the princess would send her to hell. These thoughts have hovered on the edge of Serena's mind like vengeful ghosts, but nothing has yet surfaced to discount, confirm, or explain them. So her mind continues to uneasily avoid the thought that she will go to hell and that her own soul doesn't belong to her.

Another motive behind Luna believing Serena to be traitor is that she believes Sailor Moon was the blonde figure she remembers killing her husband Artemis at the Silver Millennium's end.

Actually, it was blonde Sailor Venus who killed Artemis as a result of Queen Beryl threatening to kill her soulmate Malachite. While all the other warriors on the moon died, Sailor Venus was taken by Beryl and put into a long sleep for the past thousand years. Her body wasted away until she was little more than a skeleton, but her soul remained imprisoned within it.

When Sailor Moon used her newest attack, Moon Twilight Flash, to heal Sailors Mars and Mercury from a youma's mental influence over them, she also inadvertently healed Malachite of Beryl's brainwashing as well. The only way for Beryl to maintain control over Malachite was to bring Venus back to life and use her life as collateral. Beryl used dark magic given to her by Metallia to breathe new life into Venus's body. She now has control over both Malachite and Venus by threatening to kill the other if one disobeys. She sends Venus out to take control of the Senshi Mars and Mercury to find the Moon Princess and her crystal. Venus, who hopes to defeat Beryl with the help of her Senshi sisters, is sorely devastated to discover that the reincarnations of her Senshi do not have the power, knowledge, or control her Silver Millennium Senshi did.

Even more troubling to Venus is the presence of the self-named Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, both of whom have displayed more power than Mars and Mercury but neither of whom Venus can remember being in the Silver Millennium. She fears that they are agents of either Beryl or the High Senshi. Either way, they are not on her side – so she goes after them with a bloodthirsty vengeance, severely wounding both Moon and Mask. Tuxedo Mask heals with his golden sparks, however – alerting Venus and Beryl that Tuxedo Mask is none other than the reincarnation of Prince Endymion of Earth. The prince who seduced Venus's princess and brought about the fall of the Moon Kingdom and Silver Millennium.

Though Venus remembers what Endymion did, she cannot remember _him_. Nor can she remember the princess. Neither can Malachite, Luna, or the Senshi. Sailor Pluto had blocked away all of their memories of the princess to secure her safety.

But Beryl, always warm for Endymion's form and believing that he will know the whereabouts of the Moon Princess and her crystal, has now commanded Sailor Venus and Malachite to capture Tuxedo Mask. They do not know Tuxedo Mask's civilian identity, but they do know Sailor Moon's, and they will use that to their advantage…

L

Subject to Change

Chapter Thirty-One: From Whence Hatred Springs

L

After she first met Asanuma that night at her father's party, Rei had hoped each day to see him again. Many days passed without any granting of this wish.

Then she saw him again the day after her first transformation into Sailor Mars. She had gone for the first time into a little arcade in the middle of town to meet Serena and Ami. She entered it after school, and there he was. Sitting at the counter laughing and joking with two guys and…Serena. And he was ruffling her hair.

Sailor Pluto would later pinpoint that moment as the very second the chance there was for Serena to thaw Rei's heart flew out the window. From that moment on, she viewed Serena as the epitome of all that she wanted to be and all that she wasn't: small and blonde and cheerful and happy and surrounded by friends. Serena did not know hatred nor loneliness, and Rei began to hate her for it. It wasn't fair that she, who already had so much, got the position of leader, too.

That was why so readily believed Luna when she said that Serena had betrayed them.

She had WANTED to believe it.

"Look at her," said Rei bitterly one day. "What's wrong with all of them? Can't they see past all that pretty blonde hair?"

Ami shifted nervously and did not speak.

"I don't think it's fair," Rei continued, eyes narrowing. "All her life, she's had it easy. A family, a house, clothes, friends – why does she get everything? What makes her so special that everything gets handed to her on a silver platter? It's not enough for her to have her OWN boyfriend, no, she has to go and hog all the other boys, too, and they just love to FAWN over her."

Ami opened her mouth, but Rei went on. "When I was little, I used to go to sleep at night, and every night, I'd wish for someone to love me. I sweat and cry and BLEED every night – and what do I get? _Nothing_. She sits and eats and talks and sleeps all day like a PIG. But what does she get? Does she get nothing? No! People love her anyways, they buzz around her like freakin' honey bees!"

"Rei?" said Ami tentatively, for Rei's voice was breaking, and she was crying and sniffling. But she shoved Ami away.

"All I ever wanted is someone who would love me!" she cried angrily, painfully. "Just a _friend_! _I_ want someone I can go to the mall with and talk to! I've never had a friend in my life, and even with all the sacrifices I make, I STILL don't get one. Serena on her butt and she has FIFTY! How is that fair?"

Rei's voice splintered into sobs. Ami, after a long moment's hesitation, reached out to pat her shoulder uncertainly, but Rei wrenched away.

"Leave me alone!" she said, voice muffled by her hands. "Just buzz off, Ami!"

L

After Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Jupiter rushed off with Serena, there was utter silence in the park. Sailor Venus stood very still with her back to Mars and Mercury. She had dropped her hand from where she had stretched out to Sailor Jupiter. her shoulders so tensely coiled that her shoulder blades jutted out like the stumps of amputated wings.

As for Mars and Mercury, shock glued them to their spots. Mars was still in disbelief that she had just seen Venus crack a teenage girl's skull open – of course, it was Serena, but still. A little fear trickled into her bloodstream.

She scowled at herself for feeling frightened of some blonde and quickly chased down the unease with bravado: _I would have done the same thing. Serena is a traitor, after all, a danger to the princess._ It was a strange mixture of jealousy and fear. And anxiety, that little thought niggling in the corner of her mind – _Serena won't really _die,_ will she?_

Before, they had been playing a game of chess with themselves as the pieces, but only the youma had been the pawns. They were the only ones who disappeared from the board. But if Serena died…they could, too. They could die.

Mercury's eyes were fastened to the spot Serena had knelt in. Her hand was still open as though Serena's had never left it. Drops of Serena's spattered blood decorated her waxen face like little red beads.

Not one of the Senshi moved until at last a black shape rustled out of the bushes. "Well!" it hissed unhappily, twisting its neck unhappily to lick at the bruising scrape at its ear. "I must say, I _never_!"

Mars' and Venus's heads turned towards the shadow: Luna. She frowned reproachfully at them. Mars could practically see the abuse forming on her tongue: why weren't you able to deal with Sailor Moon?

And indeed, Luna's next words were "Where are the traitors?"

Mars looked over at Venus, expecting her to jump at the chance of recounting her defeat of the "great" Sailor Moon. Rei would have, if it was her. But Venus was gazing through Luna as though not even seeing her.

"Venus whipped Moon's ass," Mars said at last. "Look at the blood." She tilted her head towards the still motionless Mercury.

Luna padded towards the area. "For goodness' sake, Mercury, get up." She mincefooted delicately around the blood-dampened patch of grass, staring at it but apparently reluctant to come close to it. She stopped beside Mercury and looked up at Mars. "So then she's…" The cat paused. Was she stumbling over the words? "Dead?"

Venus's voice joined the conversation. "I wouldn't count on it."

Mars looked at her. "But you practically split her head open!"

Venus speared Mars with a scornful blue glance. "Which means nothing if she's Senshi, as I am beginning to very strongly suspect she is."

"Well, of course she's Senshi!" Venus's obvious derision had set fire to Mars' short temper, and she returned Venus's disdain with interest. "How else would she have a glowing tiara?"

"You are a novice indeed if you take a simple glow spell to be proof of Senshi powers," Venus said icily. Her belief that Rei Hino was the Sailor Mars she had known had shattered. She was grinding the shards of that delusion beneath her heel even as she rubbed contempt into Rei's face. "A three-year-old could carry out that spell." She glanced disgustedly at Luna. "The holes in their education are large enough to fall through, Luna."

Luna bristled. "It's rather difficult to teach something you can't remember, Sailor Venus!"

"Whatever!" Mars interrupted angrily. "So what if Serena's a Senshi or not, she still can't walk away from an attack that busted her brains out!"

"Oh, don't tell me." Venus stared hard at Luna. "It's common knowledge!"

"What is?" Mars demanded. Her patience was wearing very thin.

As was Venus's. Instead of answering Mars with words, she used action. With a twist of her fingers, a crescent beam materialized that shot out and lanced a hole through Mars' palm.

Speechlessly, Mars lifted her palm in front of her face and stared in shock at the saucer-sized hole in her flesh. Venus stared back at her through it.

Venus raised an eyebrow at her. "Wait a few moments," she said.

Mars did not wait a moment. She flung herself at Venus with nails and threats flying. Venus merely summoned her chain and snapped it out so that it pinned Mars to a tree.

Mars writhed beneath the chain's grip, spitting out curses. Venus watched her, a pained, confused sort of expression furrowing her face, for a few moments. Finally, she approached Mars and moved the chain to free her injured hand.

Except for it was not injured anymore.

"Observe?" Venus lifted the hand to Mars' flushed face. Unmarked skin peeked out from beneath the singed hole in the glove. Mars' cursing deflated into a shocked exhalation.

Venus showed Mars' hand to an equally incredulous Luna. "Senshi healing powers."

"You mean Serena's not going to die?"

The shaky voice startled all of them, even Venus. They had all practically forgotten Mercury was still present. And all of them frowned at the obvious concern in her voice for the rogue Senshi.

"Actually," Venus said, releasing both Mars' hand and Mars herself (from the chain's grip). "If you did not know about our healing powers, she would probably not know about them, either, and thus would not use them. You usually immediately detransform, do you not?"

Mercury nodded slowly once.

"Then she would probably not be healing." Mercury's eyes dimmed, her chin falling dejectedly to her chest. "Except that…" Venus squinted into the sunset. "I have suspicions that she is not the novice she appears to be. That may be just a cover; I suspect that she is actually an experienced Senshi sent from the High Council."

Venus's eyes fell from the sunset to their blank faces. "But of course that is just Andromeadean to you," she said, the scorn in her voice mingled with resignation and unhappiness.

"It won't be if you explain yourself," said Luna, a little sharply.

Venus actually seemed to flinch a little. She avoided Luna's eyes, took a step back. "I…I have to go," she said, and suddenly vanished. Just like that.

Luna hissed. "I don't trust her!"

Mars was silent. She turned her hand over in front of her eyes, flexing it, studying it.

Maybe she, Mercury, and Serena had just been pawns from the beginning. Insignificant pieces to play the Sidney Cartiers for the more important rooks and bishops. In her mind's eye, Mars could still see the immense power pouring off of Sailor Venus's aura when she attacked. Venus was certainly no pawn. She was a bigger player: a rook perhaps, or a knight.

Wasn't there a way for pawns to become more powerful players? Or maybe that was in checkers. No matter. Mars planned to become a higher player. And Venus was going to be the one to teach her how.

L

Malachite's heart was jumping strangely in his chest as he teleported blindly from the belly of Beryl's subterranean abode. He moved jerkily and slowly as though in a strobe light. He felt as if someone was switching the power to his body on and off.

Images of Endymion and his fellow generals on those golden days on Terra swirled in his mind with the golden spires of the Venusian castle and Minako's golden hair. Then the silver glow of the Moon Palace's domed towers polluted the mix – Jadeite Endymion raised eyebrows snow patching mountains Nephrite black sky blue sky green slopes scored armor choking smoke burning wood Minako Artemis Minako Endymion Minako Endymion Minako –

He tumbled from the teleportation vortex and pitched face-first into something gritty and yielding. It dug under his fingernails and conformed to his body.

It was cool, like a stone in shade. Soft.

Whooshes whispered at the edge of his hearing.

He forced himself up. The ocean sighed before him.

His heart within him steadied and slowed. His life current had stabilized.

And then it jumped again when he spotted the shadow silhouetted against the moon-gilded waves – but no, it was just his heart leaping like it always did when he saw her.

"Mi…"

His approach was like that of a seagull hopping cautiously past a sunbather: eager to snatch up an abandoned morsel of bread but muscles tensed and ready for flight if the human made a motion toward him.

"You and I are not something I can think about right now, Malachite." Her voice was quiet as the waves, but he heard her perfectly. How could he not? His every sense was tuned to her. That was why he could tell that her tone was like the sand: hard when you first stepped on it, but quickly sinking and giving way beneath you. She was trying to sound firm, but he knew her too well, detected the shakiness in her voice.

But the last thing he wanted was to make things harder for her.

At the same time, they were bonded from their very souls. How could they ever be better off apart than together?

"You and I are not something I can _stop _thinking about, Minako," he said at last.

"We have a mutual problem, then."

He took a step closer to her. "We have mutual everything, Minako."

For a long time, she did not answer him. She only stared straight ahead, at the moonlight glowing on the surface of the water. It ran like a path from the shore to the horizon – like a path Minako could step onto and follow to disappear into the stars. Leaving him.

At last she inhaled deeply. "That would make everything much easier, if it were true." Her arms wrapped around her bare arms. She wore her Senshi fuku now, as she had almost constantly since Beryl had awakened her. It was like an outward manifestation of the armor she had drawn around her psyche. "Then we would have two minds to work on each problem – instead, I think we seem to be butting heads."

Malachite compressed his lips. "Endymion," he said simply, knowing immediately that his defense of the coveted prince was what she referred to.

"I _will_ capture him."

He watched her fists clench tightly at her side. He reached for them, his chest constricting. If he only touched her they would find a way to right things –

Minako turned her head just enough to spear him with warning eyes. Shock chilled his bones as he saw her lashes quivering, mouth trembling. His Minako looked as though she might crumble into a million pieces at any moment. He loosened his clammy grip on her gloved hands immediately, afraid that he might break her like a china doll.

"I _have_ to capture him." The repetition, that replacement of "will" with "have to." She was pleading with him to understand why she was doing this.

But beneath it lurked the question: Are you with me or not?

He didn't answer that question. Instead he asked one of his own. "Because of your princess?"

She turned away from him, swiping away her tears, crossing her arms tightly. "In Beryl's hands, he won't be able to interfere with our search. Once Beryl has her hands on him, she'll be distracted by…other things. She won't pay as much attention to us or our search for the princess. " A grim smile creased her wet face as she concluded, "And it is certainly poetic justice to deliver him into the hands of the same witch he fed us to."

"Endymion had nothing to do with Beryl," countered Malachite carefully. This argument was familiar territory by now between them, but Minako seemed to have only three thin threads still holding her puppet of a body up. To find the princess again. To exact bloody vengeance upon Endymion. To stay with Malachite. But that thread seemed to be fraying, he was afraid.

But what wasn't he afraid of these days?

He stumbled on. "Endymion fought Beryl more fiercely than anyone – "

"But you didn't, did you?"

Those few words, delivered in a soft, nonchalant voice, seared into Malachite like seawater into a wound.

He retreated into himself. He would not defend himself, for there was no excuse for his weakness in losing to Beryl.

"I have offered up all the apologies I can on that," he said quietly. Now it was he who would not look at her. "And I know they will never be enough. But this isn't about what I did wrong, it's about what Enydmion _didn't _do wrong. The Fall of Silver Millennium wasn't his fault, Minako."

"_He _corrupted the princess!" Minako's voice was wild, verging on sobs. He hesitated to speak more, lest he cut those thin threads that held her up. "If she had not fallen for him – "

"It takes two to tango, Minako," he wrestled with himself to say. "The _princess_ could have spurned _him_. But did she? No. Why? Because she could no more have denied her love for him than you could have killed me instead of Artemis!"

His blurted out words left a deathly vacuum. Only the whoosh of the ocean could be heard for a long time.

Then at last Minako slapped him.

"Don't speak of that," she said in a hard voice. "Don't you _dare_."

But there were more tears than threat in her voice. Her body was shaking again, as though struggling against some creature trying to tear free of her flesh.

Malachite spoke before his fear could capture his words. "Why?" he demanded. "Because you regret it?"

"Yes!" Minako's voice was choked, clogged. "I regret everything I did that day! _Everything_!"

Her gloved hands pressed against her face as a racking sob escaped her. It was as though she were trying to push the cries back inside her body. She let herself fall to the sand.

"Nothing went right that day…" Her hopeless voice rose. "I should just have been killed too and been reincarnated with the rest of my Senshi and then this never would have happened – "

"Minako!" Fear soaked his voice like blood soaking cloth. He was panicking; she was leaving him, she was leaving him, she was shattering and he needed to grab her and press her together in his sweating palms – if only his love was glue –

"Why didn't we just die, Malachite?" She was looking at him now, and now that she was not looking at the moonlight's path on the water, shadow had swallowed her eyes.

Again, he didn't answer her. Instead he cast about for an anchor as her head drooped forward to loll against his shoulder. Anything to keep her with him.

"I'm not…who I was, Malachite." Her voice was stumbling, thick. Like a child speaking through a drugged sleep, like a phantom speaking through the fog of time. "I don't know who I am anymore."

"You're Minako," Malachite told her firmly, though his heart hammered in his chest. "You're Minako." He stared down at her, wondering what he would do without her. How horrible the world would be without her. Images flooded his mind, and spewed from his mouth: "If you had died that day, Beryl would have consumed this planet months ago! You would have grown up just like Mars and Mercury and Jupiter, weak, ignorant of your real powers. You've seen how they've been mutilated by their lives here, Minako. The same would have happened to you, and then you would all be dead and I would still be under Beryl's control." His fingers trembled as this dismal painting of what could have been hung before his mind's eye. He gripped her elbow, so thankful, so thankful that she was here with him, cruel as the circumstances might be.

"But _now_, Minako, _now_ there's a chance! You can teach the Senshi, you can lift them to their old power levels. With _you_ alive, there's a _chance_. With you, they'll be able to find the princess; with you, they can kill Beryl."

He seized her other elbow and spun her to look at him. "Don't you see, Mi?"

She was looking at him now, her blue eyes flooding. "I can't, Malachite. Don't _you_ see? I – I'm not who I was. I don't know who I am anymore, without my Senshi, I can't find my path, I'm weaving all over like a drunk. The Senshi were my _anchors_, and now they're gone, and I'm just…alone."

"No, you're not alone, Minako, you're not!" He hugged her tightly. "I'm here!" His voice held a frightened sort of uncertainty, as though he were not sure if he really was there or not, as though he were saying, Aren't I?

It was the same question Minako was asking herself.

_I'm here..._

_Aren't I?_

L

It was early. As in, still dark early. The time in the morning when you were sure the world was just as dark as it looked.

Lita was awake. She was always awake at this time of the morning, and she hated it. Her alarm clock was never set earlier than seven o'clock, but her internal clock had never in her life allowed her to sleep past five forty-five.

It was the reason that she had taken up cooking. Well, one of the reasons (the other being that it was in her genes: both her parents had studied cuisine in France). Memories surfaced like lake monsters in the empty darkness of five forty-five in the morning, and she had needed something to take her mind off of them. So she started watching those cooking shows the networks broadcast at that time of morning (along with Ab-Cruncher commercials) because no one is awake to watch them. When she had been watching for so long that all the episodes were reruns and she knew the recipes by heart, she kept cooking but started investing in PayPerView. A good ninety minute movie usually filled the time from when she woke up until time to go to school, and it wasn't like the trust fund her parents had left her wasn't bottomless.

Serena's house, unfortunately, didn't have a television in the kitchen. And it was today, early Monday morning in Serena's quiet, dark, sleeping house, that Lita needed distraction almost as badly as she ever had in her life. She was flipping fried eggs in silence and thinking way, way, WAY too much.

Mina, so blonde and companionable in the library, then dusty and bloody and hard – _"You are an ally of this youth?"_

Serena, distracted and worried, paying far too much attention to Shields and far too little to herself and the blonde before her – _"Ally? Yeah – yes. Allies. That's us."_If only Serena had lied, if only she hadn't admitted that she was allied with Tuxedo Mask, if only she hadn't gotten tangled up with Shields in the first place – then all this never would have happened, she wouldn't have gotten hurt –

And just like that, it was suddenly Darien Shields' fault that Serena had nearly died. Forget that he had been the one to heal Serena. Mina hadn't threatened Serena until she said that she was allies with Tuxedo Mask.

It was Shields' fault.

This is the danger of five forty-five in the morning. The world right before dawn, when the sky is dark and starless and moonless and sunless, is a quagmire. It sucks you down. You grab at any straws you can because they're the only chance you have; you accept things that aren't true because you're desperate. The mud closes on top of you with those straws still gripped in your claws, and in the darkness, they're all you can feel, so you grip them all the tighter.

A person could go insane at five forty-five in the morning.

The eggs were done. Their salty smell was making Lita a bit nauseous – or maybe it was the realization she'd just had – but she started the bacon anyways. The fatty strips crackled and sizzled in the grease, bubbles popping like thoughts.

There was more. In Darien's apartment, after he returned from grocery shopping and Serena woke up, while they were in the living room watching TV and eating, Lita had gone to pack up some of the groceries to take to Serena's house. She remembered that the rest of the tiramisu – granted, there was precious little left after Serena had gotten ahold of it – was still in Shields' bedroom.

So she went to get it. And get it she did. But when she picked it up from the semi-cluttered desktop it has been placed on, some papers fluttered from beneath it to the floor.

With a long-suffering sigh, Lita had bent to pick them up. Her eyes caught the words and the pretentious logo in the corner – Yale University – and that was all the temptation she needed. Other people would have called it nosy, but that thought did not even occur to Lita. Nosiness? What was that?

She scanned the letter, glanced at the forms attached to it. Felt a strange mixture of fury, indignation, dread, and relief bubbling into her all at once.

Shields was leaving at summer's end to go to school in America. What a coward, to leave Serena here to deal with not only the Dark Kingdom but the Senshi! And he better have told Serena. This was too huge an event to keep from her. What would happen when he was gone, though? Would she and Serena be able to handle the youma and the Senshi? Of course they would, she decided. Tuxedo Mask wasn't such hot stuff. In fact, he was the whole damn reason Serena got hurt! Good that he was going…even if it was going to break Serena's heart.

Grease leapt with a startlingly loud _crackle!_ from the pan. Lita roused herself from her heavy thoughts and maneuvered the bacon strips with her spatula like an army general arranging troops on the battlefield.

"Oh. Thought there was a fire or something."

Lita glanced to the kitchen doorway. Shields stood there, looking very hastily dressed. The tails of his starched shirt hung untucked, and a shoe dangled from one hand, its mate on a foot but with laces untied.

She felt irritated by his assumption – and by his mere presence, even. Why was he here? Why did he insist on staying at Serena's? He said it was to protect her, but if that was so, he wouldn't be leaving her for a mere college.

Hypocrite.

"I know how to cook, thanks," she said shortly.

Had she not turned her back on him to face the stove once more, she would have seen him lifting his eyebrows. As it was, she heard him walk into the dining room and pull out a chair to sit.

She glanced out the window – still dark – then at the clock. Six o'clock. School didn't start until eight – it was going to be a long morning.

And a silent one. Neither Lita nor Darien was the sort of person to talk unless coaxed into conversation. Namely by Serena.

Twice, Lita considered going upstairs to wake up Serena, if only to break the silence. This thought was immediately dismissed (too selfish). Then she decided to go watch the news. However, when she entered the living room, there was Darien on the couch, intently watching a report on an oil spill near Alaska. She quickly swung around back to the kitchen, pretending that she'd only come for a look out the front window. ("Good, no one stole the grass overnight.")

So the pile of bacon and fried eggs grew higher and higher and were eventually joined by stacks of pancakes.

At long last, Serena came shuffling into the kitchen. Her hair was mussed and she still wore her pajamas. "Yum," she yawned, gravitating toward the steaming pancakes.

As though alerted by a Dumpling-Detector, Shields poked his head into the kitchen.

"Get dressed first, Odango."

Irritation spiked again in Lita like a nettle. "She can eat when she wants," she said sharply, piling food onto a plate for her friend. "You're not her boss."

"Nor are you her mother," countered Shields, stiff-lipped.

"If I was, you wouldn't have spent the night here," Lita started to say, but got only so far as "was." Her words died in her mouth as Serena yawned past her towards the doorway. "Where are you going?"

"It's late," Serena mumbled, still drowsily. "I should get dressed."

She disappeared up the stairs. Shields smirked.

Lita turned pointedly away, simmering. Was Serena just a TOY to him? The way he bossed her around pissed her off, the way he acted like he knew what was best for her, the way she always listened to him, the way she always defended him – every single think about this bastard _pissed her off_.

"Lita?"

Lita shoved down her thoughts and turned to face Serena, who had just come back into the kitchen. "Yeah?"

Serena was only half dressed: she wore her pink pajama top with her blue school skirt and her school shirt was in her hands as though she'd been about to put it on but then suddenly felt the urgent need to run down here instead.

"I just wanted to thank you," Serena said, hugging her tightly. "For helping and…understanding. For trusting me – even though I didn't tell you everything. It means so much to me."

Her voice was cracking a little, and Lita's mind went to Rei, Ami, and Luna, who hadn't trusted her.

She knew what it was like not to be trusted.

Serena sniffed and pulled back. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get your uniform all wet."

"Not a prob." Lita looked down at Serena, at her tear-reddened eyes, and smoothed back her hair. How could Shields leave her? "I'll always trust you, Serena. And you can always trust me."

Lita felt goosebumps shiver up her skin as a sense of déjà vu washed over her. This felt almost familiar – these words that almost sounded like a vow of fealty. She shook it off and finished, "I promise. Now go get dressed before I start sounding like something off Lifetime."

Serena cracked a grin. Lita waved her off with the spatula, then started placing the food on plates.

L

Half an hour later, Serena was groaning as they walked up the school's front walk.

"I feel like a pregnant woman!" she moaned, clutching her stomach. "Lita, I'm so _full_!"

"Quite a feat, considering Odango's stomach is a black hole," Darien said, holding the door for them.

Lita ignored his joke, not only because she was angry with him but because her attention had been caught by the huge poster hanging in the middle of the hallway.

"Oh my God!" she gasped, her heart stopping in her chest. "I totally forgot!"

"What?" Serena grabbed Lita's arm with one hand and her brooch with the other.

"The PROOOOOOOOOOM!" Lita groaned. "It's on FRIDAY!"

"So?" Darien raised an eyebrow, not seeing why this was such a big deal. Both girls ignored him.

"Friday!" repeated Lita in despair, letting her head drop onto Serena's shoulder. "That's in FOUR DAYS! Serena, I don't even have a _dress_…"

"It's okay, it'll be okay." Serena patted her friend's head comfortingly. "You'll see. We'll go to the mall after school today and find a killer gown and I'll do your hair, and we'll tell Toki to buy your corsage – it'll be fine, Lita!"

"All the dresses will be gone!" Lita said stubbornly. She frowned suddenly. "I shouldn't even go. Those witches'll still be after you, and no way am I leaving you alone with them on the loose… I'll tell Toki I can't go – "

"NO!"

Serena's eruption shocked Lita. Darien, who had been watching her inflate with self-righteousness for the past couple of seconds, was not as shocked, but still found Serena's forcefulness rather astonishing. (And kind of hot. But in a totally platonic way.)

"But – wha?" Lita tried clumsily.

"I said _no._" The fierceness of Serena's voice matched her hardened expression. "You are NOT telling Toki you can't go to prom. You are not SKIPPING it. We will go shopping today, we will find you a knock-dead gorgeous dress, you will go to the prom, and you will have FUN."

She speared Lita with her blue eyes, clearly awaiting a confirmation.

Finally, Lita managed, "Y-yes, _ma'am_."

"Good." Serena released Lita from her gaze and turned it full wattage on an amused Darien. "Now you. Go to class."

Darien returned her stare with a smirk. "You cow one Sailor Senshi and you suddenly think you can order me around?"

"Not think," said Serena. "Know."

L

Mrs. Karounen looked up when Darien walked into the classroom. "Why, Darien," she said, "You're on time today. How unusual."

Darien slumped down in his desk and rubbed his ear where Serena had dragged him down the hallway. "Don't rub it in."

L

Asanuma stood in front of his PE locker, staring at something. Darien, spinning his own lock open, leaned over to glance at what had so fixated him. The youth had not spoken to him yet, but Darien planned to have a talk with him before they went outside.

He had deeply pondered what to say. As he pondered, he had realized what Serena had and what he had not: that Asanuma's anger and unhappiness were partly their fault. He felt neglected and left-out in their group; Darien should have noticed and done something.

He leaned over and saw that the object of Asanuma's intense regard was a wilted, rather dry bouquet of flowers.

"What're those for?" Darien inquired.

Without looking up, Asanuma slammed his locker shut. "Nothing," he muttered and began to walk away.

"Hey." Darien caught him by the shoulder and spun him around. "Hey! Numa, what's your problem?"

Asanuma muttered something Darien did not catch.

"Look, man," Darien said. "I'm sorry. Okay? For everything. And Serena is, too. So, please, if you're going to be mad at someone, be mad at me and quit giving Serena the cold shoulder. She's really worried about you."

"Yeah, I _know_, okay?" Asanuma tore out of Darien's grip and glared at him. "I know I'm the bad guy! I'm the one who made Serena cry, God punish me, I'm Satan incarnate!" Color rose in his face. "I was going to apologize, okay?"

Instead of speaking, Darien just waited in silence.

Eventually, Asanuma uncurled. "Those flowers were for her," he muttered. "A – peace offering. But – I dunno. Stuff came up." _Like Rei practically giving me frostbite with her cold shoulder._

"Then let's try again." Darien crossed to his locker, pulled out a spray of violets. He tossed them to Asanuma. "C'mon."

L

They found her outside, standing on her number, her back to them. Quite familiar with her moods, Darien could tell from the way her fingers were twirling in her hair that she was gazing into space.

He debated with himself for a moment, then gave Asanuma a kick in the shins. Asanuma shot him a venomous glare, then tripped over to Serena with the violets gripped tightly in his fist.

Darien did not follow. Had he been the one in Asanuma's place, he would not have wanted anyone to witness his apology (i.e., his groveling for forgiveness).

Instead, he averted his eyes to give Asanuma his privacy (i.e., dignity) and let his eyes roam the blacktop. Some wind raked its fingers through his hair, and he inhaled it absently, then looked sharply to the sky – but no, it wasn't raining. There wasn't even a cloud in sight in the bright blue spring sky.

So why did he have the feeling that a thunderstorm was rumbling up along the horizon?

A whistle split the air, and Darien dismissed the strange jolt of _knowing_ he'd just felt in order to assume his number next to Serena. Asanuma was striding away as he reached it, and Serena was holding the bunch of flowers.

"Everything alright?" he asked, unnecessarily.

She nodded. "Yeah." She drew in a deep breath, as though inflating herself. Her shoulders rose slightly from their slump. "Yeah!"

He continued to watch her. There was some invisible, anonymous magnet drawing his eyes to her – and he didn't even notice he was doing it until she demanded "What?"

Darien blinked slowly. "What?"

"That's what I asked you." Serena scrutinized him. "Are you okay? Your eyes went all glazed, and you were staring at me."

Darien shook his head. "I… don't know." His hand rose to his forehead.

Serena still watched him worriedly, chewing on her lip. "What is it?"

"Just this…feeling," he said vaguely. He shook his head. "But it's stupid." He looked at the flowers in her hand. "Are you going to carry those around all class?"

Serena glanced down at them in surprise. "Umm…" she said. "No, I guess not. Stand in front of me, will you?"

Wordlessly, he took a step in front of her, slipping his hands nonchalantly into his pockets to block her from sight. After a moment, he heard her say, "Okay, I'm good. Thanks."

He moved back to his number. Serena's hands were now empty, the flowers having been safely deposited in her sub-space pocket.

"I know I've been sleeping for, like, the past two days," said Serena suddenly. "But I feel really tired. Almost…drained." She looked up at him, eyes widening reflexively as she stifled a yawn. "Do you think there's a youma around or something?"

"Hard to tell," Darien replied, smothering a yawn as well. It was scientifically proven that they were contagious, after all. "I have that feeling, too, but everyone else seems fine." He gestured to the students on the numbers around them: tapping their feet, hyperactively punching buttons on their hand-held games, playing complicated hand games, arm-wrestling, squealing over magazines.

"Is it from the battle, you think?" Fog slid across Serena's eyes again as she stared into space, her fingers coiling into her hair. "From healing?"

"I don't know," Darien admitted, and felt that same overpowering, smothering helplessness from the days before. His fists clenched.

"NUMBERS!" bellowed Coach Etoukou's unmistakable voice. He came striding towards their class, and Serena's arms dropped to her sides. "Everyone here? Good!" He tossed his clipboard over his shoulder. "We'll be doing track for the rest of the year – stop whining, girls, it means your legs'll look good in those prom dresses!"

The female students' groans were drowned out by the subsequent catcalls of the male students.

Anyone watching Serena and Darien – which Asanuma was – noticed that neither cracked a smile.

"Okay, stretches!" announced Coach. "Down to your toes – one two three four – your kneecaps aren't your toes, Daikuno! – five six seven eight – Tonami, keep your eyes on your feet and not the girl butt in front of you, boy! – nine ten! Now to the left! And right! Uuuuup – and good! Now down to the track! Go on, hustle!"

"I despise track," mumbled Serena unhappily, reaching up and trying – in vain – to keep her buns from 'un-bunning' as she jogged down to the track. (Her hair buns, of course.) "I'm going to skin my knees so bad…"

"Badly," corrected Darien beside her.

"Not listening!" Serena tried to loop up her trailing hair around what was left of her buns, but that only made them the size of balloons (very floppy balloons). AND they kept cascading down again.

Asanuma jogged past them singing "Do your buns hang low, do they wobble to and fro? Can you tie them in a knot, can you tie them in a bow?"

"Grrrr," said Serena when he was out of earshot. But a smile graced her lips. Asanuma was making jokes again!

"Serves you right for having such long hair," Darien said.

"Still not listening!"

"Why don't you braid it?"

"'Cause then it's STILL too long!" Serena blew out her lips.

"Then braid it and wrap it around your head. And I thought you weren't listening?"

Ignoring that last comment, Serena said haughtily, "I don't have anything to keep the braid pinned around my head, genius. Bobby pins aren't exactly super glue."

"You braid it and I'll take care of the rest."

He received an archly suspicious glare. But her fingers moved quickly as a spider through her hair, braiding it and then coiling it around her head like a crown.

"What now, hot stuff?"

Darien didn't answer her. Both of them still jogging, he pulled the ends of the braid through the coil a couple of times and then fastened the whole work of art with a pair of flexibly stemmed roses (compliments of thin air).

"There," he said in satisfaction.

"What did you do?" asked Serena suspiciously. She moved her head experimentally, then shook it violently. Not a hair fell out of place. A smile burst open on her face as she marveled at the feeling. "Darien, spill!"

"Trade secret." Darien grinned. "But you're – "

"TSUKINOANDSHIELDS!" Coach was so used to yelling at them in unison that their names had become one word.

"WHAT, Coach?" the two shouted, spinning. Darien felt a minor surge of elation when, for once, Serena's hair didn't slap him in the face.

"GET DOWN HERE!" Etoukou bellowed. "I ALREADY BLEW THE STARTING WHISTLE!"

And so he had.

But our two heroes weren't much worried. They exchanged grins (more like sinister smirks, really) and took off.

As they ate up asphalt, Serena eventually gained a four meter lead on Darien. Darien was content to let her keep it for two reasons: firstly because from his position he could glare off all the males who had the idea to run behind Serena and enjoy the view and second, because much as he loathed admitting it to himself, he simply didn't have Serena's speed.

As they rounded the track a fourth time, he saw a figure approaching from the main campus buildings. Not all that intrigued, he paid it no attention until he rounded the track the fifth time. By now, the figure was close enough to be distinguishable.

It was Miss Lanai.

Darien sped up, closing the gap between him and Serena. To his surprise, it didn't take as long as he had expected for him to catch her. He was congratulating himself on his athletic prowess – who said nerds couldn't run? – until he saw that Serena, too, had noticed Miss Lanai and had slowed down to lessen her distance to him.

So now Serena's golden head was bobbing up and down beside his shoulder, and they were exchanging no words but had their eyes glued to Miss Lanai as she approached Coach Etoukou.

Lanai had reached Coach. She was talking, he was nodding…

Darien could hear his and Serena's feet slapping the pavement – should they slow down or speed up?

Lanai was turning, her arm lifting to point at something – someone – at _them_.

The two teachers were walking in their direction – Darien could feel rather than see Serena's pace slowing, as though surrendering to the inevitable. He matched her pace, step for step until their legs were moving in perfect unison and he was directly between Serena and the ever-nearing Lanai…

And then they passed her, and his back was stiffening, waiting for the inexorable shout of "Tsukino! Get back here, someone wants to talk to you!"

But the seconds stretched into minutes and he and Serena were rounding the heel of the track and still no one had called them.

He chanced a glance over his shoulder. His eyes narrowed.

"Don't look now," he panted to Serena, "but she's talking to Asanuma."

"Asa - ?" Serena's head snapped towards Lanai; he caught her chin and directed her face back around before it could turn completely.

"I said _don't _look!" he half-moaned.

"So-_rry_." Serena shook her chin out of Darien's fingers. "What are they doing? How do they look?"

"They're shaking hands. Etoukou's slapping Asanuma on the back. Now Asanuma's…signing something? Yeah, he's definitely signing something. Selling his soul to Lanai, probably."

"Darien…"

"What else would he be signing something for?" Darien returned. "Lanai's no good. Now she's leaving, I think she's got the paper he signed. Asanuma's running again now."

"You don't think it has anything to do with us, do you?" Serena ventured anxiously – then answered herself. "No, of course not, he wouldn't do anything to hurt us."

"Not _knowingly,_" said Darien, though doubt niggled in his mind.

"He wouldn't," said Serena confidently.

Darien voiced no dissension, but he added another item to his to-do list: ask Asanuma about Miss Lanai.

L

"Hey, guys," Serena greeted Motoki and Lita as she and Darien arrived at the Lunching Tree.

"Hey," said Motoki, glancing up – and then doing a double take. "Serena, is that you?"

"Um…I think so." Serena gave Motoki a weird look. Perhaps he was on medication from the doctor after the youma attack?

"I barely recognized you with that new hairstyle! It looks very nice."

"Oh." Serena reached up; she had forgotten that her hair was out of her usual buns. She still didn't know what Darien had done to it, come to think of it.

"Yeah, those roses really make a statement." Lita's voice dripped irony. Serena lifted a hand to feel her hair. Sure enough, there was the sensation of velvety petals brushing against her fingertips… "Did you do it yourself?"

"Yes!" Serena and Darien blurted out in unison.

Serena hurriedly plopped down in the grass. "Coach made us run today, so I had to put my hair up in something, um, less loose."

"_Loose_, huh?" repeated Lita with a cocked eyebrow.

"Lita!" Serena moaned, hiding her blush behind her hands. "Not like THAT!"

"And here I thought Asanuma had the monopoly on sadism," remarked Darien, settling himself against the tree's trunk. "Come on, Odango, where's your acid wit now?"

"Ooh, looks like I missed something good." Asanuma had arrived. "Who called me a sadist now?"

All heads swiveled towards Darien, who promptly let his head nod down to his chest and pretended to start snoring.

"Aw, it's no fun joshing him when he's asleep." Asanuma sighed and flopped back on the grass. It was the action of someone comfortable and at ease, but Serena, watching him closely, saw his Adam's apple jumping erratically in his throat. Asanuma was at anything BUT ease.

"Erm…" she cleared her throat. "So."

"So," said Motoki.

"La," trilled Lita sarcastically. "Ti, do!"

There was a pause.

"Wow, this awkward silence really calls for a smart comment," said Asanuma.

All their heads swiveled expectantly towards Darien.

But he wasn't moving other than his chest falling slowly up and down.

"Wow," said Motoki in awe. "I guess the Rottweiler really IS sleeping?"

Asanuma propped himself up on an elbow. "Well, since Darien's indisposed, I guess it falls to me to advise you, Lita, not to quit your day job."

"Ha. Ha," deadpanned Lita.

"Rottweiler's a new one," commented Serena thoughtfully. At her friends' puzzled looks, she clarified, "A new name for Darien, I mean."

"Oh." Motoki preened. "I'm quite proud of it. You know, Rottweiler 'cause they're guard dogs, and Darien's always so protective of you."

"I like Dare-Bear better," said Asanuma, a bit of his usual sparkle returning as he grinned mischievously – clearly expecting Darien to drop the charade of sleeping to growl at him.

But Darien didn't move. His chest rose up and down as serenly as ever, his eyes still beneath their lids, his face smoothed from its usual tension.

"No way!" exclaimed Asanuma and Motoki together. "Darien's _really _SLEEPING!"

"SHHH!" Serena glared imperiously at them. "You'll wake him up!"

The boys' eyebrows rose, and it was clear from their expressions what they were thinking: Aww. Serena was protecting her precious Dare-bear from them. How cute.

Serena paid them no heed and instead climbed to her feet. "I'll be right back," she told them.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Lita craned her head to catch Serena in her gaze. "Where do you think you're going?" Her eyes said what her mouth could not: _Have you forgotten there's about a million bloodthirsty magic-users slavering for your neck? _

"I'm just going to the BATHROOM." Serena wore the same determined, authoritative expression from that morning.

"I'll come with you." Lita shrugged out from under Motoki's arm and started to get up – until Serena planted a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her down again.

"I'll be right back. Stop _worrying._"

L

Was the restroom Serena's true destination?

Heck, no.

Instead, she made her way into the cafeteria, to the table where the juniors were selling Spring Fling tickets.

"You want to buy a ticket, Serena?" Kobayashi, one of Darien, Asanuma, and Motoki's classmates, gave her a wide grin.

"Yes, please," said Serena, pulling out the last of her manga money. Two months ago, she would have stared at the money mournfully before relinquishing it. It was a mark of how much she – and circumstances – had changed that she surrendered it without batting an eye.

"Here you go." Kobayashi handed Serena a ticket. "Save me a dance, huh, Serena?"

Serena nodded absently, pushing the ticket deep down in her pocket. Part One of the plan was complete – and tonight she would carry out Part Two.

L

Minako watched the golden buns weaving through the cafeteria crowd to the door. Then she made her way to the table that they had just left.

"Was that Serena Tsukino who just bought a prom ticket?" she asked of the boy sitting there, attention focused downward as he counted bills.

"Course it was, there aren't any other blondes in this school," the boy said jokingly, then finished counting the money and looked up. Minako had to admit that the look on his face was priceless. "Whoah! I mean, there weren't any others the last time I checked. You must be new." He stuck out a hand. "I'm Kobayashi."

"Mina." Minako reluctantly shook the Terran's hand. "I am new. So Serena is going to…Spring Fling?" she asked, reading the banner hung above Kobayashi's head.

"Well, she bought a ticket, didn't she?" Kobayashi wore a warm smile. "Please tell me you're going to buy one, pretty lady, so I can have a dance with you."

Ignoring the Terran's flippancy, Minako deliberated for a moment. Then, with a decisive nod, she said, "Give me two."

She had a plan.

L

Darien hadn't awoken while Serena was gone, thankfully. She sank into the grass beside Lita, and forestalled any questions by immediately jumping into conversation.

"Hey, Lita and me are going to the mall tonight. You guys wanna come?"

"Why not?" Motoki shrugged, twirling his fork absently. "It's not like I'll have any afterschool duties for a couple of weeks, anyway."

Their eyes swung expectantly towards Asanuma. He was fiddling with his blazer sleeves, not looking at them.

"You can't go shopping with us, though," said Serena to Motoki, loudly so that Asanuma would hear. "We have to find the perfect dress for Lita, so there won't be any smoochy-smoochy. Lita has to keep her dress a surprise until the big night." She looked at Asanuma. "Think of it as a guy's night out, with a chance to embarrass poor me in front of the Hot Chinese Food Guy."

"In that case, count me in," said Asanuma, finally looking up. "Didn't feel like doing homework tonight anyways."

"Knowing Darien, he'll probably make you drag your books with you and do homework in the food court," grumbled Serena, who spoke from experience.

"True," the two boys conceded.

"So it's settled, then," said Serena. "We're all headed to the mall today."

Asanuma grinned suddenly. "I love how she so blatantly ignores Darien's say in all this."

Serena merely smiled smugly. "Okay, Toki." She turned to face him. "What color's your tux?"

Motoki leaned away from Serena, not a little disconcerted. "Uhhhh…black."

"And?"

"Why?" Motoki protested.

Serena threw up her hands. "So we can at least make an attempt to find Lita a dress that matches your tux!"

Lita lifted an eyebrow. "There's a fashion rule I've never heard before."

"That's because Odango's not exactly a fashion expert."

Serena blanched and froze with her back to Darien, who was suddenly awake and stretching, leisurely as a panther. "Ehhhh…."

"About time you woke up, Ripp Van Winkle," Asanuma said. "Or have you just been faking and eavesdropping on the rest of us?"

"Since when is any conversation of yours interesting enough to eavesdrop on?" Darien yawned. "Anyways, what's this I hear about someone trusting Odango's fashion advice?"

He scooted forward, and Serena felt his shoulder brush hers as he settled beside her. She bumped her with her own, pasting on a glare. "I do too have fashion sense!"

He was grinning. He must really have been sleeping, then, and not noticed her leave – otherwise he'd be giving her his strict-father look. "You have about as much fashion sense as common sense, Serena."

"Exactly! A lot!" She humphed and turned back to the others. "Anyways, _as_ I was saying, Toki, what color is your tux?"

"Black and white." Motoki shot a glance at Lita. "That's okay, right?"

"Of course." Lita's brow was wrinkled. "What other colors would a tux be?"

"I take offense at that," said Asanuma. "My tux is tie-dyed, thank you very much."

"_Really_?" queried Serena eagerly, while everyone else groaned. "You're not pulling our legs? I know how you like to trick us."

Asanuma frowned a little. "Yeah, really," he said, a little irritated. 'Why would I lie?"

"I know you wouldn't _lie_!" exclaimed Serena, a little panicked. She had managed to hurt Asanuma again – why did she have to be so _callous_? "I just – sometimes you joke around with us, Numa, like when you pretend you like guys – "

"Well, I'm not joking," said Asanuma, in a calmer tone. But his eyebrows did not part. "My tux really is tie-dye."

Silence reigned as everyone teetered on their eggshells. Then Motoki chuckled.

"Wish I had your guts, Numa."

L

"So." Serena rubbed her hands together. They had left the boys behind in the food court. "What shop should we terrorize first?"

Next to her, Lita was shifting from foot to foot. "I dunno," she said, mildly uncomfortable. "It's not like I've ever gone shopping for a prom dress before."

Serena gasped. "You poor deprived child." She grabbed Lita's hand. "Well, as Confucius said, a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Or something like that." Laughing, she began to skip toward the nearest department store.

L

Five stores and two and a half hours later:

Lita grunted at her reflection in the mirror. "Okay, look at this one." She swung the changing stall door open very self-consciously. She would rather have just tried the dresses on and torn them off without showing anyone, but Serena had so far insisted one seeing every single one.

"Ummmm…hmmm…."

Lita knew that sound. She'd heard it about ten times tonight. It was the sound Serena made when she was trying very hard to think of something complimentary to say about the dress when it was really unforgivably hideous.

"It's…glittery," Serena said finally.

Lita rolled her eyes. "Not this one," she said, and closed the door to try a different one.

Serena frowned a little when she saw it. "Well, it's a good color for you, but…" She didn't need to finish the sentence. Lita knew that the dress looked horrible on her. It was tight in the chest and shoulders, and worse yet, it had shoulder pads! And the skirt was an awkward length for Lita's flamingo legs.

Her shoulders slumped. The motion looked very strange with the shoulder pads. "I give up, Serena. I'm never going to find a dress that works."

"Not true!" insisted Serena. "There's still lots of stores left!"

"Yeah, but there's only so many times I can look at myself in the mirror feeling this ugly." Lita plucked at the ill-fitting dress. "To call it suicide-inducing would be only a slight exaggeration." Her voice grew louder, her eyes flaring as she tried to convince herself that she didn't care about looking pretty. "Why should I subject myself to this self-esteem crushing for some moronic dance!"

Serena could hardly deny that she was right. It was stupid, the way girls had to crack their spines and torment their psyches for one night. Especially when they usually spent that night just goofing off with their friends instead of dancing in the arms of the crush they had so hoped to impress with their appearance.

And yet, there were few feelings quite as magical as finding THE dress. The one that turned you into a princess as you looked at your reflection. And wearing THE dress was like wearing a coat of armor – nothing and no one could bring you down while you were wearing THE dress.

Serena knew this was true because she had had THE dress once. She had found it for last year's Spring Fling. And it was magic, so magic – at least it had been until Darien had to go and – well, she wouldn't think about that now. That was under the bridge now, and she wouldn't trade what she had with Darien now for a million of THE dresses.

"Try just one more store, Lita?" Serena implored. "Then we can call it quits, I promise."

Lita sighed again. "Fine."

The "one more store" was one of the small ones, nestled between a pretzel shop and a beauty salon. But its small front windows were crammed with dresses that already looked promising. No black was to be seen, and none of the dresses were anywhere near the sometimes slutty variety that had filled the juniors' section of the department stores.

"Lita, I think we've hit gold," said Serena excitedly.

Even the somewhat disillusioned Lita found an excited speed returning to her pulse, like a dose of hope poured into her veins. As they entered the shop, she drank in the shelves and shelves of hanging dresses – wide skirts, slender skirts, long ones, trained ones, high necks, low necks – it was like a library for dresses. She reached out and fingered a gown's frothy skirt.

Serena, too, was similarly entranced. She ran a finger carefully along a row of dresses, like a tongue tasting their fineness. This was the sort of shop you could find a million THE dresses in, she thought. Well – Lita could. Serena was too short for any of these dresses to fit her very well. Besides, she wasn't even going to prom this year, so it didn't matter. Her hand dropped to her side.

"Hello." A woman wove her way through the maze of dress racks towards them. The features beneath her brown hair looked vaguely familiar; at the same time, she seemed slightly wilted, dark smudges beneath her eyes. "May I help you?"

Lita opened her mouth to say "No, just browsing," but looked down at the dress beneath her fingertips again. She took a deep breath. "Yes, please," she said. "Do you have any dresses for – well – tall people? With broad shoulders and – " She flushed. "Perhaps slightly large chests?"

A small smile softened the woman's face. "I think I have exactly what you're looking for. Come with me."

She led them towards the back of the store. Serena trailed along behind, eyes on all the dresses they passed. She saw a blue Grecian-style outfit that she thought would looked perfect on Ami, then one that was red with golden threads and would look gorgeous on Rei – though it would clash horribly with tie-dye. She wondered if there were some way she could bring them here…

Hmm, that dress looked rather hairy. Maybe it was supposed to be a tropical-styled dress with a top made out of coconuts?

No, wait a second – that was a head poking out of the dress rack! A little dark-thatched head that was looking up at her with familiar brown eyes –

"Buji?" Serena blurted out.

"Onee-chan?" Bujiro blinked at her.

"Buji!" cried Serena, flying at him and scooping him up out of the dresses, ignoring, for the moment, the question of what he was doing hiding in women's gowns in a dress store. "You're okay!" She was squeezing him tightly in a hug, but for once, the stubborn proud little boy wasn't fighting her. Instead, he was laughing and hugging her back.

"You know each other?" ventured the saleswoman, but her question went unheard by the two.

"We used to see Buji all the time at the arcade." Lita answered instead. She tore her eyes from the blonde and dark head, feeling a little stung that Buji was hugging Serena so tightly that he had yet to notice her. "I was there, that day. I was helping Buji with his homework. Serena hasn't seen him since before then."

"So _you_'re the onee-sans!" New life flooded the woman's face. "Oh my! I'm Buji's mother – Iwara Mayuko, call me Mayuko, please – I'm so pleased to meet the both of you." She dropped down onto one of the mannequin pedestals. "Oh my."

"Why is Buji here with you?" Lita asked curiously. "Aren't the elementary schoolers still in school?"

"Oh…" Mayuko wrung her hands. "He should. He should be. I just…I haven't been able to bear letting him out of my sight." She looked up at Lita. "My – my husband was killed in one of the attacks last month, and I – I jut couldn't bear it if they got Buji, too…he's all I have left…"

Lita's eyes widened. But before she could say anything, Buji scrambled up.

"Onee-san!" he greeted her.

"Hey, Buji," said Lita, rather awkwardly. They both stood looking at each other for a minute. Lita found herself wishing that she could be like Serena and just scoop him into a hug, but she couldn't force herself to do it. It seemed too familiar, too awkward. Instead, she bent a little and shook his hand.

"Glad you're okay," she said, a little gruffly.

"Onee-chan said you beat up the youma all by yourself," said Buji eagerly. "Did you?"

"I wouldn't say I beat it up," said Lita, loosening a little and smiling. "I bit it a couple of times. It made my breath stink really bad for a while."

"Wow," breathed Buji. "Can you teach me, Onee-san?"

"What, how to bite?"

Serena laughed. So did Buji's mother, a little.

"People can't beat those monsters, honey," she said to him.

"Yes they can!" protested Buji. "The Sailor Senshi can!"

Mayuko's lips compressed, trembling slightly. "Where were the Sailor Senshi when you needed them, honey? Or when Daddy needed them?"

Serena flinched. The spastic movement knocked her elbow into a mannequin behind her and toppled it over with a crash.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" Serena scrambled to right the mannequin, heaving it back to its high-heeled feet and frantically brushing the dust from its velvet raiments. "I – I – I'll just go outside…"

"Wait, Onee-chan!" Buji grabbed her hand and dragged her back. "Okaa-san, can I go with Onee-chan? She said she would take me for ice cream while Onee-san finds a dress!"

"I did?" Serena scratched her head. " I don't remember that."

"Onee-chan…"

"Ooh, the glare of doom!" Dramatically Serena fell to her knees."Of course I will take you for ice cream, Buji-sama!" She paused and peeked out from between her fingers at Mayuko. "Provided, that is, Buji-sama's honorable mother permits it?"

"I…" Mayuko bit her lip, clearly torn between a little peace and quiet from Buji and granting his wish and between keeping him in her sight. "Well…you are the infamous Onee-chan..."

"Serena." Lita looked rather fierce. "You can't go alone – "

"I won't be alone!" chirped Serena. "I'll be with Buji! And Buji's very strong, aren't you, Honey Bunny? Don't worry, we'll be fine!"

"Don't call me that," Buji grumbled, but Serena's attention was caught by something outside the window.

"Lita, look, there's Darien," she said. "By the fountain. We'll drag him with us to the food court and we won't be alone then, okay?"

Lita, following Serena's pointing finger, could indeed see Shields standing by the fountain, but she still didn't want Serena and Buji to leave her…

"Okay." Mayuko took a deep breath. "You can take him."

"Yeah!" Buji pumped his fist in the air and grabbed Serena's arm. "Bye, Okaa-san!"

"I'll bring him back promptly, Mayuko-san!" called Serena hastily as she was yanked out of the store. "Make Lita a goddess, please!"

"It won't take much work." Mayuko smiled at Lita. "Shall we begin?"

Lita suppressed a frown. "Yeah. Okay." She followed Mayuko but not before stealing one last glance outside. Shields, Buji, and Serena…

Talk about a happy little family.

L

The coughing reached her ears even as she started up the steps. Wet, heaving. Phobos and Deimos swooped down in a flurry of black feathers, as though to shield her from the sound. But even their raucous caws could not drown it out.

Blood speckled the wet washcloth she had left on his forehead when she left that morning. It had long since dried in the many hours she'd been gone. He clutched it over his mouth like a kerchief. Sweat poured down his ravaged face. The glass beside his pallet was empty.

How long had he been without water? _Since you left for school_. How long ago had she left for school? _Thirteen hours ago_. Why hadn't she come home to refill it? _Because I didn't want to come home and mop drool from an old man's chin. Because I didn't want to hear death grinding up his insides. Because I don't love him enough. Because Mom should be the one here, taking care of him, because she loved him, and I don't, because he deserves better, because you're a bitch, Rei, a bitch, because you don't –_

"Hiatsu…" The groan cracked out like ripping parchment. "Hiatsu…"

"Grandpa." Rei squatted down on her knees beside his bed. "Grandpa, we have to go to the hospital."

"No. No…" Grandpa's voice was a whisper, but no less forceful for its lack of volume. He did not have the money to go to a hospital.

"Grandpa, stop worrying about the money. You know he'll take care of it." Rei's voice was tight and snappish; this was an argument they had had many times before. Did he think she liked her father any more than he did?

"I won't…accept…his charity." Had Grandpa still had any saliva left in his desiccated mouth, the words would have been spat out. "I will stay here…my granddaughter can take care of me."

_No I can't!_ Rei wanted to scream. _You aren't my responsibility! I'm only fifteen! Keeping you alive shouldn't be my responsibility!_ It shouldn't…it _shouldn't_…

Why did her father think that she was a tool for him to use? Why did he think he could use her as entertainment for his supporters' sons, as an exotic temptation for those leaning towards his causes? Why did he think that she had been born _for him_? Why did he think she owed him for the years that he had fed and clothed her? Did he think that she would not rather have run away than eaten his food and lived under his roof?

Why did Grandpa think that it was her duty to nurse him? How could he not realize that a fifteen year old knew nothing about medicine, about healing, about being responsible for lives and deaths and pain – why did he not think of _her_, of how _she_ felt, being sprayed with his blood and mucus and sweat every time he coughed? Why had Father forced her to this shrine, and why had Grandfather turned her into a miko, why had he made her a martyr for a faith she did not know nor believe in, why had they mutated her into this spiteful, twisted void that had no friends and many enemies, who had neither home nor school nor faith nor mother nor father nor guardian nor friend –

_I won't accept his charity._

_My granddaughter will take care of me._

She hated him. She hoped he would die. Fine if he wouldn't go to the hospital. GOOD! Let him die, let her be free!

Rei wrung excess water from a fresh washcloth and felt a lightening of her spirit. A butterfly stirring within its cocoon, arching its back to rip out of the hardened coffin in which it lay and spread its wings – but no. Rei squashed it back inside. Best not to hope. Not yet. Not yet. Grandpa had been this way for a long time and not yet succumbed, there was no reason for this night to be any different.

But still…still that infinitesimal lightening, that morbid hope…if he were to die…she would be the "Christ-hating" miko no longer. Not mistaken as her mother. A new priest would be sent to run the shrine, and she would leave. Before her father came. Somehow. Maybe live with Mina. Maybe turn her Senshi night-job into full-time career, make TV appearances. Forget Rei Hino, the downtrodden, unwanted, unloved brat she had been…

And still was. For now.

But not much longer.

"Are you thirsty?" She pressed the washcloth onto the wrinkled forehead.

"Just…some water…thank you, Hiotsu…"

Rei nodded and stood to take the empty glass and crimson-spattered cloth to the kitchen. The mirror on the wall caught her motion and her attention.

He looked so small, huddled in those threadbare blankets. His body shook like a cherry tree in a storm. And she towered above him with her feverishly eager eyes, hungering for the moment when his roots would finally be torn up…

_What kind of granddaughter are you_? An evil one. _How can you say you love him?_ I never said it out loud. _So? Does that meant it was never true? You're a vulture. You hate your father, but you're just like him. Just like him._

Only because they made me, Rei told herself as she mechanically washed the glass. Her eyes were dead, glassy in the window reflection. If they had loved me, if they had appreciated me and cared for me – then maybe things would be different. But they didn't.

And this was how matters stood.

L

Minako sat perfectly positioned at the edge of the food court. A decorative tree – it wasn't even real, she thought disdainfully, thinking of the gorgeous rowens and birches that had grown within the Moon Palace – sat beside her twosome table and hid her from the sight of most food court patrons.

Which meant that _she_ could see Sailor Moon (in her civilian guise) and the male Terran she was with, but_ they_ could not see _her_.

Her intent gaze, at the moment, was fixed on Sailor Moon's companion. In her estimation, he was the strongest candidate in the contest of who Tuxedo Mask's civilian form was. Two others also floated in Minako's suspicion – the blonde boys, Furuhata Motoki and Itto Asanuma. They were not constantly present with Serena the way this Shields character was, however, and they had different colors and builds from Tuxedo Mask, whereas Shields shared a similar build and coloring with Mask.

But that identicalness of color and build aroused Minako's suspicions. The prince was far more wily than that. More likely that Shields was a decoy, and Furuhata or Itto were the prince operating under an illusion glamour. Or perhaps the prince was neither of them and was instead one of the many students at Azabu, or even another school. Or maybe he was out of school. She really had no way of telling – other than Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon was their one link to Tuxedo Mask.

The sound of a chair scraping out drew Minako's attention. She found Malachite sitting across from her. He wore civilian clothes, as he had on their past couple of meetings outside of her apartment or Beryl's kingdom. She was still having a hard time getting used to see him in Terran jeans and button-down shirt, though it was better now that she had cut his hair back to its old length.

"Minako," he greeted her quietly. He handed her a – what did the Terrans call them? Smoothies? – being careful not to let his fingers touch hers. He had been doing that lately, she had noticed – not touching her. She simultaneously hated it and appreciated it. On the one hand, she missed contact with her soulmate; on the other, she felt so…fragile these days. As though it would take only a strong wind to blow her away. She wondered if it was some defense mechanism of Chronos, ensuring that trespassers in wrong times did not do so easily. It seemed like the sort of thing Pluto would do. _Can you cut me some slack, Pluto?_ she thought angrily, watching her hands as they curled beside the smoothie. They were trembling and had been since Beryl woke her. That constant reminder that she did not belong here.

She did not belong with Beryl and the Dark Kingdom. She would _never_ be one of them! she spat in her mind. But nor did she belong to the Senshi, not after all that she had done.

And now she did not even belong with Malachite. She was forcing him to betray his prince the way she had betrayed her princess.

That thought alone was almost enough to make her change her mind about capturing the prince. Was she really going to do this to her soulmate?

Then the chain that connected her to her princess shuddered. _YES._

The princess came first. The princess came first. She had to remember that!

She sat forward, shoved her shaky hands in her lap. "Sailor Moon bought tickets today for that ritual thing the students have at school – that dance."

Malachite's glance flickered over to Moon's counterpart and her companion. "With Tuxedo Mask?"

Malachite, unlike Minako, was convinced that Shields was the prince. This should have cinched it for Minako, since Malachite was after all one of the prince's Shittenou, but instead, it made her even more suspicious that Shields was NOT Tuxedo Mask. Because she had a niggling thought in the back of her mind that Malachite would conceal/protect his prince at any cost – even at the cost of lying to her.

Which was yet another reason that she no longer belonged even with Malachite. She had fallen so far that she no longer trusted him.

How wretched she had become.

"Presumably," Minako said aloud. "If not with him as her escort, than at least we can assume that he will be at the function. All the students will be gathered in that one spot."

Malachite regarded her. She realized that he had donned a pair of those instruments the Earthlings used to fix vision, and it unreasonably made her feel as though he could see right through her. "But you're not planning to go straight after him," he said.

"No." To hide her discomposure, Mina took a sip of the smoothie he had brought her. Strawberry with a hint of honey – she wished that he did not know her so well. If only her bond with him could have disintegrated in this time as her bond with the Senshi had.

She set it down. "Sailor Moon will be there. So we grab her and demand that Tuxedo Mask come forward and reveal himself or Sailor Moon says sayonara."

"And if he doesn't?"

"If he doesn't," said Venus slowly, her hands now shaking worse than ever. "Then we take her and get the information we need." She clenched her fists to stop the shaking and looked up at him. "Whatever it takes."

L

"Do we _have_ to take him, Onee-chan?" Buji whined.

"Yes." Serena said absently. Her attention was focused on Darien, on what he was staring at with his back to them. "Lita would kill me if we didn't."

She couldn't believe what had captivated Darien's attention so. It was a coffin store. In a mall! Was that even legal? Goosebumps trickled down hers spine, not just from the store's very presence but also from what the thoughts running through Darien's head as he looked at the store must be.

"Onee-chan?" Buji tugged on her hand a little.

She blinked and looked down at him. He was looking at her with an unusually grown-up expression on his face, his eyes sad.

"Okay, Onee-chan?" he asked her.

Serena felt bad for so quickly dragging down Buji's emotions again. She had heard what Mayuko told Lita about Buji's father, and she had hoped to take his mind off that a little. Instead, it seemed, she was just exposing him to more death…

"Couldn't be better, Honey Bunny," she said quickly, and ruffled his silken dark locks. Reaching into her pocket, she fished out a handful of change. "Ready to make a wish?" She skipped with him around the fountain to where Darien stood and dumped most of the coins into his pudgy little hand. Two coins she kept.

Buji scampered eagerly onto the fountain's lip. His lips moved as he prepared to throw the coin in. Feeling as though she was eavesdropping on his wish – which would keep it from coming true – Serena quickly turned away.

Her eyes inexorably wandered to Darien's back, so stiff and ramrod straight. Her stomach clenched; she couldn't read his mind, of course, but if he was staring at a coffin store, whatever he was thinking wasn't sunshine and morning glories. Well, unless the morning glories were part of a bouquet to lay on a grave.

A morbid image painted itself in Serena's mind: her funeral. Suppose she died in one of these youma battles. Her family would find out who she was; would Darien and Lita be revealed, too? Would they have to go into hiding? If she died, would Darien and Lita even still be alive? Suppose they all died? Suppose two days from now they were all lying in caskets that at this very moment lay mere feet away in the store Darien stood before?

Suppose two days from now she was burning in hell?

"Onee-chan?"

Buji's whisper floated her up to the surface of the dark lake her mind swam in. She clutched it like a life preserver and looked at him, eyebrows creased in concern at the apprehension in his voice. "What's wrong, Buji?"

"You looked like you were going to cry, Onee-chan." He held his last coin out to her, a shiny silver circle. "It's okay. Here, look, you can have my last wish."

"Oh, Buji." Serena's lower lip trembled. She hugged him fiercely. "Thank you. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry for being sad, Onee-chan," responded Buji gruffly, shoving his coin at her again.

Serena hugged him harder, then let him go. "You know what?" she said, taking the coin from him. "I've got a better idea. Come on." She took him by the hand and put her free finger to her lips. Then tiptoeing with feet light as feathers, she led him to Darien.

She released Buji and winked at him. Then she tiptoed behind Darien. His hands were stuffed into his pockets. From behind, she gently pulled his clenched fist out. He jerked it away, but she kept ahold of it. As he spun around, she was unfolding his tense fingers and pressing Buji's coin into his palm. She ignored his tense exclamation of "Odango!" and tilted her head at him with a smile.

"Make a wish!"

His dark eyes flicked down to the coin in his palm. His eyebrows lifted in the usual way, and he smiled a little, briefly. "Odango, I don't do stuff like – "

Serena flicked his knuckles. "Humor me."

Darien rolled his eyes, but fell into step beside her as she turned around. Serena caught Buji by the hand, and Darien's eyebrows lifted once more. "Visitation day?"

"Ha ha," retorted Serena, swinging Buji up onto the lip of the fountain. "No."

"You look familiar," Darien told Buji, who was now almost level with his eyes. "Do I know you? Or his father?" This last he directed at Serena, slyly.

Serena opened her mouth to retort scathingly, but Buji stated suddenly, "I know you." His pudgy arms tied a knot over his chest. "You're That Man." He imbued the words with an aggressive disdain usually reserved for appellations like "that idiot" or "those dirty perverts."

The dour look Darien gave Serena was so characteristically Darien that Serena nearly laughed out loud. "He's related to Lita, isn't he?"

She grinned widely. "Lita is his onee-san," she said enigmatically.

"I've seen you at the arcade," interrupted Buji, and the way his brown eyes were narrowed was identical to Darien's. "You make fun of Onee-chan."

"Ah." Recognition flashed across Darien's face. "I should have realized sooner. You're one of Teenage Mother Serena's brood." He raised an eyebrow. "No wonder you're so disgruntled."

"Excuse you!" said Serena indignantly. "Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!"

Her words went unnoticed, however; Darien and Bujiro were now engaged in a red-hot staredown.

"Stop talking to Onee-chan!" Buji commanded.

"I'll talk to whomever I want," countered Darien.

"You'll talk with my fist!" Buji declared, and hauled his arm back for a punch.

"BOYS!" exclaimed Serena –

BAM! went Buji's fist.

Right into Serena's eye.

"ODANGO!" Darien seized Serena by her waist as she swayed on her feet. Her fingers closed around his arm as she blinked rapidly.

"Onee-chan!" cried Buji in horror.

"I'm okay…I'm okay. Okay!" Serena hastily pushed herself out of Darien's hold and batted him away as he tipped her head back to examine her eye. "Darien, I'm _fine_ – Buji, no, it's okay, really – oh, sweetheart, don't cry! Don't cry!"

She scooped up the hiccupping Buji and hugged him tight. "Shhh…Buji, it's okay. It's _okay_…"

"I didn't mean to, Onee-chan!" Buji wailed. "I promise I didn't! I'm so sorry! I wanted to hit the jerkwad!"

Darien's eyebrow quirked again. "Did you teach him that word?" he murmured to Serena. Serena gave him a quelling glance, glaring, then flinching as it made her eye throb. Darien pressed his lips together.

"_Did_ you learn that word from me, Buji? Serena asked him.

Bujiro's head, smushed against Serena's neck with his face hidden in her throat, nodded.

"I didn't know such a little person could hear so much." Serena tapped Buji's head. Laughter sparkled in her voice. "Must be those long Honey Bunny ears."

To her delight, a giggle escaped Buji. "I'm not a Honey Bunny!"

"Nope, he's definitely not hairy enough," Darien injected into the conversation. Serena looked up hopefully; it seemed Darien was trying to win Buji's favor. "You, on the other hand, Odango…"

Or not. Serena aimed a kick at him. "Look who's talking, King Kong legs."

At that, Buji lifted his head from Serena's neck to peer down at Darien's legs.

"Show him," Serena ordered.

Darien rolled his eyes and tugged his pants leg up to the knee.

"WHOAH!" Buji's brown eyes widened like chocolate chips melting into a pool of cocoa.

Serena laughed, giggles escaping her like a stream of bubbles.

"Ha ha," said Darien dryly. "I'll have you know Motoki's very jealous of this leg foliage."

"But not Asanuma."

"Well, I have a sneaking suspicion that he shaves his," Darien informed her, yanking his pant leg back down.

"No way!" Serena frowned. "Well, actually, that is sort of believable…"

"It's exactly the sort of metrosexual bordering on homosexual thing he'd do."

"I think it's time for that ice cream now," said Serena hastily, noticing that Buji's ears had perked up at the 'sexual.' "Right, Buji?"

Buji looked up and opened his mouth in protest, but the sight of Serena's purpling eye quickly killed his objection. "Right, Onee-chan."

"Off we go, then!" Serena swung him down to his feet. "Whoah, you're getting heavy! I used to be able to hold you with one arm!"

"When was that?" Buji's skepticism was impish. "In your dreams?"

Darien whistled, giving Buji a high five. "I'm definitely starting to like you, kid."

"He goes from beating Darien up for insulting me to joining him in the torture." Serena sighed. "How quickly they fall to the Dark Side."

L

"You're sure you don't want the cappuccino flavor?" Darien asked Buji for the fifth time.

"Stop trying to corrupt him," Serena ordered. "He doesn't like coffee. Buji, stick with the chocolate."

"I'm just trying to open his mind to trying new things," Darien insisted. "Coffee is just like chocolate," he said, turning back to Buji. "It just gives you a lot more energy."

"And who's the one who'll end up dealing with all that extra hyperness?" demanded Serena.

"Ahem," said the cashier. It was a boy now; the first one had been a girl and breathily told Darien to take as long as he needed. This member of the male gender seemed much less inclined to put up with Darien's hold-up of the line. (He must not be a friend of the Chinese Food guy.) "Are you ready to order _now_?"

"One more minute," said Darien. "Buji, I really think you'd like the cappuccino flavor – "

Serena squeezed in between Darien and the counter. Darien poked her in the waist and she squealed, doubling over to protect herself, then stomped on his foot. Darien smothered a startled curse and wrestled his foot out from under her heel. All this took only a couple seconds, then Serena was talking to the clerk as if nothing had happened.

"We'll take a double-scoop chocolate cone and a strawberry triple fudge double scoop cone," she said cheerfully. "And then whatever coffee junkie here orders."

The cashier's bored expression had suddenly livened at the appearance of Serena's bright hair and eyes. 'Certainly," he said smoothly. "Waffle cone or sugar, honey?"

Serena's eyes widened in excitement. "You make honey cones? I'll have one of those!"

Behind her, Darien snorted. Even Buji shook his head.

The cashier wilted a little. "I'll, uh, get those cones now."

"And an iced mocha latte for me!" Darien called after him as he went to the dispensers. "Odango, you're hopeless."

"Insult me all you want, Shields, nothing can pop my red balloon of happiness now," said Serena airily. "I'm getting a honey cone. Have you ever heard of those before? I haven't. They must be new."

Darien snorted again, echoed this time by Buji.

"What are you two, horses?" Serena frowned at them. "I'm going to go find a table."

"One with tall stools?" Buji requested hopefully.

"Duh!" said Serena. "Of course!"

"Why stools?" Darien asked as Serena flounced off.

"_Because_," said Buji, as though this explained everything.

The cashier returned with two towering ice cream cones and a tall latte. His eyes fell on the two boys, minus Serena, with obvious disappointment.

"Sorry, kid." Darien's teeth flashed white in a wide grin as he handed over the money and took the cones. (He didn't trust Buji not to drop them, loath though he was to let the kid hold his precious latte.) "Guess you're just not her flavor."

A little bit of Darien's latte sloshed out of the cup as Buji ran to keep up with Darien's long strides. Darien slowed down a little, telling himself it was only so that he'd have enough latte left to drink and not for the kid.

Serena was spinning happily on a stool at one of the tables near the mall's mini-arcade. Her feet dangled several feet above the ground, and Darien was pretty sure he knew now why Buji and Serena (both rather short) were so adamant about sitting in the tall stools.

He handed the cones to Serena when they reached the table. "Hold these." He turned and lifted Buji up onto the stool across from Serena.

"Hey!" Buji kicked away from the stool. "_I _want to sit next to Onee-chan!"

"Don't blow a gasket, kid." Darien moved him to the stool next to Serena. "Geez. It's not like I want to sit next to her."

"Whatever," said Buji. "I saw you trying to make a move."

Serena erupted in laughter.

Darien fought back the blush climbing up his neck and made a disgusted _What in the hell? _face at both of them.

"Hey, this looks just like a sugar cone." Serena peered supiciously at her ice cream cone as Darien slid into one of the stools on the other side of the table. She nibbled a bit off the edge. "It tastes just like a sugar cone, too!"

"You don't say," said Darien, grateful that the attention was off him. Bujiro snorted into his ice cream.

Serena glowered at them. "You know something," she accused.

"Onee-chan, your ice cream's melting down your hand," pointed out Buji innocently.

Serena looked down and quickly licked the trickle of pink. "I'll find out someday, just you wait."

"Of course you will, Odango." Darien stripped the wrapper from a straw and slid the straw into his latte. "Of course you will."

L

"Can I go play the Senshi game?" Buji asked eagerly a quarter of an hour later.

Darien regarded the chocolatey ring that encircled Bujiro's mouth like a beard. Serena laughed.

"Half of your ice cream cone's still left," Darien said, looking pointedly at the soggy chocolate mess in Buji's sticky fist. "Eat the rest of it first."

Buji frowned pitifully and turned to Serena. "But Onee-chan, I have a tummy ache," he implored. "I can't eat any more. Can't I go?"

Serena felt a sad twinge, as much for the wonderful, wasted, delicious ice cream melting in Buji's fist as for the sad, puppy-being-denied-a-bone look on his face.

"Of course you can," she said. "Darien, give him some quarters."

"I don't condone this," warned Darien, but he handed Buji the change.

Buji ran off toward the mall's mini-arcade –

"Oh, Buji, wait!" Serena cried suddenly. "Come back!"

Buji sighed and trudged back reluctantly. "What?"

"You're all sticky." Serena plucked a napkin from the dispenser and glanced around the table. 'Darien, hand me your water."

"What for?" asked Darien suspiciously, but Serena had already stolen it and dipped the napkin in it. He groaned.

"There you go," said Serena, wiping the congealed ice cream from Buji's fingers. "Now go kill some youma!"

"Wow," said Darien as several people turned around at Serena's shouted command. "You really had that whole mother image going for a second there, and then you had to ruin it with the whole order to murder."

Serena's blue eyes sparkled like sun on the ocean. "I did?"

"Uh, yeah." Darien raised an eyebrow. "It sounded very bloodthirsty."

"No, no that!" Serena shook her head, pigtails flapping. "I mean, was I really acting like a mom?"

"Uh. Yeah."

"A good mom?" she pressed.

Darien frowned. "Why?"

Serena looked down and stirred the soupy remainders of her melting cookie-dough ice cream. "No reason."

"Obviously there's a reason, or you wouldn't have asked." Darien leaned back in his seat. It wouldn't lean back on its rear legs since it was a stool and not a chair; he scowled a little.

"I get it," he said, suddenly catching sight of a curly head behind the Chinese food counter. "You're trying to make Chinese Food Guy see what a good mother you'll make so he'll marry you."

"NO," said Serena, emphatically.

Darien shrugged and took a sip of his iced latte. "Suuuuure. I believe you."

The sarcasm in his voice was tangible. Serena sighed and looked towards the arcade. She could see Buji, up on his tiptoes, struggling ferociously in his one-handed grapple with the joystick.

"So," said Darien abruptly, pulling her attention back to him. His eyes regarded her seriously. "Are you going to tell me now why you were walking around alone without Lita or me?"

Serena's lips compressed. "Lita's getting her prom dress at Buji's mom's shop. Buji's mom seemed pretty stressed out, so I said I'd take him out for a while while she helped Lita find a dress."

"That's an explanation, but not an excuse," said Darien. "Serena, you know that it's not safe for you to be alone – "

"Darien, it's not safe anywhere," interrupted Serena. "No matter what. You think that if the Dark Kingdom wanted to, they couldn't just kill us anytime and anywhere they wanted? If they sent twenty youma here, right now, while we're here together and Lita came to fight them with us, we'd _still_ die, because we can't fight all of them. What we do doesn't matter. All we're doing right now is waiting for them to move and fighting as hard as we can until they finally decide to quit playing with us and just kill us."

Darien stared into his cup, stirring it slowly. This was the exact resignation that had been floating like a dead snake on top of his mind all week – ever since all this had started, even – but to hear it slithering from the lips of optimistic Serena was like having it confirmed by a prophet. It was an inevitability now, and not just a nighttime dread.

"What are you thinking?"

Darien let go of his spoon, let it sink into the muck of his latte. He looked up at Serena, into her drawn face. All he could do was shake his head wordlessly and drop his gaze back down to his coffee.

Serena's hand slipped over his. She squeezed it, gently. He turned his hand over beneath hers and returned the gesture.

"It's like taking a test when you don't understand the chapter," he said broodingly. "At some point in studying you just give up and let what comes come."

Serena bit her lip a little. "Isn't that like surrendering?"

"Yes."

Silence fell over them, not comfortable but heavy, like the dark brocade that lines coffins. Darien stared sightlessly at his hand under Serena's.

Without warning, Serena suddenly slid down out of her stool. She climbed up into the one beside Darien and pressed her forehead against his shoulder, threading her hand into his again.

After a moment, she spoke, her voice muffled. Darien, so surprised by her sudden movement that his heart was still pounding swiftly in his chest, had to struggle to hear her. "What were you like when you were a kid, Darien?"

Darien looked down at the halo of golden hair, caught more than a little off guard. "Uh – quiet, I guess." He cleared his throat. "Why?"

Serena's shoulders lifted and sank in a shrug. "Just wondering," she said against his sleeve. "Buji just seems so much like you sometimes. I wondered if you were the same when you were a kid as you are now, or if you've changed."

Darien began to twist his straw wrapper. When Serena did not speak again, he began to talk, haltingly. "I don't know. It all depends. Sometimes I think about me back then and me now, and I can't believe how different I am. But other times I think about it and I realize that I haven't changed one bit." He laughed a little unhappily. "I don't like change, but it's kind of discouraging to think that you haven't changed at all in ten years."

"Change is funny like that." Serena's murmur was thoughtful. "When it's happening, you hate it, but when you look back on it years later, you're glad it happened." She sighed and lifted her head to look up at him, her chin propped on his arm. A sudden image superimposed itself over her face: that little girl in the hospital so long ago, staring adorably up at him just like this.

Except the little girl hadn't had a black eye.

A corner of Darien's mouth lifted. Serena smiled back uncertainly. "What is it?"

"Just your eye." He smiled wider. "It's all purple."

Serena groaned and dropped her face against his sleeve again. "I hope a security guard stops you when we're here and accuses you of domestic violence."

"In the first place, for it to be domestic violence, we would have to be married," said Darien. "In the second place, it would have to be me who had punched you, which it wasn't."

Serena was blushing a little by the time he was finished. "But _anyway_," he continued, "Maybe Buji is your kid. He's got your wail, your love of junk food and video games, your contempt of me, _and_ your love of violence. It can't just be coincidence."

"Well, if he's got my wail, he's got your scowl," retorted Serena. "And that grumpy allele could only have come from you – "

She stopped because Darien was watching her with a peculiar smile of amusement on his face.

"What?"

Darien shook his head and hid the Cheshire Cat smile behind his latte as he took another sip.

Serena glowered at him and covered her bruised eye with a hand. "It's not very gentlemanly of you to keep laughing at my misfortune."

"That's not what I'm laughing at," Darien protested, teeth flashing in his wide smile.

"Sure," said Serena, unconvinced. "But _Tuxedo Mask_ wouldn't laugh at me. He'd give me a rose, or something."

Darien rolled his eyes, still smiling. "Is that a hint?"

Serena batted her eyelashes in reply. Darien grinned and reached into his nearly empty latte cup. When his hand re-emerged, it held a rose.

"There," he said, pushing it through her hair, where it joined the roes he'd put there during PE that morning.

"Good," said Serena, pleased. "I appreciate it, especially since it was your fault."

"How was it my fault?" Darien demanded. "I'm not the one who jumped in front of Buji's fist."

"I jumped in front of it to keep _you_ from getting punched!"

"And considering the fact that I can heal myself, that made sense how?"

Serena opened her mouth…then shut it. A flush rose in her cheeks.

Darien smirked. "Nice try."

"I remembered!" protested Serena. "I just didn't want you to feel any pain!"

"Considering how many of your punches I've survived, Odango, I doubt the fist of a six-year-old would have caused me any considerable anguish."

Serena gingerly prodded her eye. "I don't know," she said. "His fist seemed pretty hard to me."

"That's because you're a dumpling. I, on the other hand, am a chiseled statue of pure muscle." He flexed his arm.

Serena gagged. "You did _not_ just say that."

"Onee-chaaaaaaaan!" A ball of energy bounced suddenly up into Serena's lap. She turned her attention from Darien to the big brown eyes gazing sadly up at her.

"It's no good, Onee-chan," he complained. "I can't press any of the buttons with this dumb thing!" He held out his cast and shook it so angrily that tears sprang to his eyes. "I kept getting killed!"

"Hey, wait a second." Darien touched Buji's cast carefully, interest in his voice. "Is that who I think it is on your cast?"

"It's Tuxedo Mask," Buji said, holding his cast out a little further for Darien to see the excellent likeness drawn in black Sharpie on Buji's red cast. Some of his trepidation melted into pride. "Itto-san drew him for me."

Darien's eyebrows lifted. "Asanuma did, huh?" he said, more to himself than Buji. "Wow. That's really cool."

"Why don't you tell him how you broke your arm, Buji," suggested Serena. She knew that Darien already knew how it had happened (from the arcade youma attack) but she also knew that little boys loved to brag about their adventures.

"I would love to hear it," agreed Darien, a sparkle entering his eyes.

Nearly exploding with pleasure, Buji launched into a rousing tale of his experience in the arcade.

"So then it gross teta – tenta – testicle thing hit me – "

Serena choked on a chunk of cookie dough. Darien glanced at her over the rim of his mocha latte, hiding his own grin. But Buji rambled on, unpertubed. " – and I went whoosh! Out the window and bam!" He slapped his hands together. "On the sidewalk and everything started going dark, just like in the movies, and I remember thinking, oh, man, I wish I'd finished my milkshake! And that made me think of Serena-onee-chan, and then whoah! Suddenly there she was, right above me – sticking her face in mine, like usual."

Buji made a face at Serena, and she laughed at him, reaching out to pinch his adorable cheek. He ducked away from her, towards Darien, squealing as she missed him. He quieted then, looking thoughtful. "You wanna know something silly, Onee-chan?"

"Something sillier than you, Honey Bunny?"

"Would you make her be quiet?" Buji said plaintively to Darien. "Kiss her or something."

Darien's eyebrows flew up; it was his turn to choke. "Where'd you learn that?"

Buji looked down. "Otou-san always did it to 'kaa-san."

How Darien figured it out, Serena didn't know. She hadn't told him, and Buji hadn't told him. But somehow, from just that one sentence – _Otou-san always did it to 'kaa_-_san_ – Darien suddenly knew that Buji's father had died.

Because he asked quietly, "You're angry with him for leaving?"

Buji shook his head vigorously. Then he stopped shaking his head and instead nodded slowly. Serena couldn't see his eyes, but there were tears dripping down his chin.

"Dads aren't allowed to leave!" he whispered.

"No. No, they're not," said Darien. "But they don't choose to go."

"Then they shouldn't have to!"

"Buji…" Serena spoke slowly, as though each word was a thread being slowly unstitched from her. "You shouldn't blame your dad. It wasn't his fault." She took a deep breath. "If there's anyone you should blame, it's the Senshi for not getting there soon enough."

Darien's eyes snapped to Serena. Anger and concern mingled in their depths.

"I…" Buji stared up at Serena, seemingly at a loss. "But the Senshi tried…"

"And so did your dad," Darien said firmly, grabbing Bujiro's attention. "So did your dad, Buji. He didn't just lie down in front of the youma and die."

Although, in all actuality, that was probably exactly what he had done. When a youma started sucking energy, victims merely wilted to the ground and had their energy sucked from them until they died.

Buji looked down. His dark curls hid his eyes from them. But more tears trickled down his chin.

Serena hugged him tightly, her nose pressed against his scalp as she rocked back and forth. Her brooch dug into her chest painfully as it was smushed between her body and his: a hard, cold reminder of how she could have prevented this little boy from losing the sun in his sky.

"If it counts for anything, Buji," she whispered, " we love you."

Buji just shook his head with a smothered sob and buried it in Serena's neck.

"I think it's time to go," Darien said quietly. He cleared the table, dropping their chocolatey napkins and spoons into the trash, then caught Serena's elbow to steady her as she slid unsteadily down from the stool with Buji in her arms.

While they had sat in the food court, the clock hands had crept towards closing time, and few people now traversed the glossy mall floors. Those who did paid little attention to the little boy crying in the arms of the blonde who was biting her lip, nor to the grave-faced youth walking beside them. The blonde and boy, however, were acutely aware of the smallest member of their little knot.

"Let me take him," Darien said, after Serena stumbled for the third time. He slid Buji out of her arms; both were surprised when he didn't make a protest. Then they saw his closed lids and slowly rising and falling chest.

"I wonder if he hasn't gotten much sleep lately," Serena said quietly, standing on her tiptoes to peer down into Buji's face as Darien held him. She smoothed a brown lock back from his forehead. "I bet he's had nightmares."

"I certainly wouldn't be surprised." Darien shifted a little, realizing they had stopped in the middle of the floor to observe Buji. "Which way is the dress store, again?"

"This way."

It took only a few minutes' silent walking to reach the store. They had barely stepped in when Mayuko sprang out, her face wan with worry. "I was so worried!"

"I'm very sorry we took so long, Mayuko-san," Serena apologized, flushing a little. "We lost track of time – "

Mayuko was barely paying attention to Serena, however. Her eyes were glued to Buji's face, an almost wondering light in them. "He's sleeping," she breathed, carefully, almost reverently tracing his face with her fingers. She lifted her eyes to them. "You got him to sleep?"

"Well, he just kind of…fell asleep." Serena watched Mayuko take Buji from Darien. The boy barely twitched. "Has he not been sleeping lately?"

"I don't think he has." Mayuko shook her head. "I told him he could sleep with me for a while after…all this…but he said he didn't want to. He said he wasn't scared." Her arms tightened around the small body.

Serena nodded. "Um…Mayuko-san, is Lita still here?"

Mayuko's eyes widened. "Oh!" she said softly. "I forgot. No, she left about an hour ago. She said to please tell you she would be at home."

"Okay. Thank you," said Serena slowly. She felt Darien's eyes on her; was it okay that Lita had gone home alone? Darien wouldn't be mad at her for letting Serena go off by herself, would he? She didn't want them to fight, and Lita already seemed not to like Darien… "Did she find a dress?"

"Oh, yes." A real smile, one of the first Serena had seen on her, graced Mayuko's face. "She found the perfect thing – almost as if it was waiting for her. It barely even needed any adjustment."

"I'm glad!" said Serena feelingly.

Mayuko smiled kindly at her, her eyes wrinkling at the corners. "Me also."

Darien nudged Serena in the small of her back.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I'm sorry! Mayuko-san, this is Darien Shields, a friend of mine and Motoki's. Darien, this is Buji's mom, Mayuko Iwara."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Iwara-san," Darien said politely. He glanced at Serena. "Sorry to cut this short, but we should probably go now."

"Of course," said Mayuko graciously. She nodded at Serena. "Thank you for taking Buji for me."

"It was no trouble at all," assured Serena. "I'd love to take him anytime."

"Make that we," said Darien from behind Serena, surprising her. "Your son is unusually sharp for an elementary schooler, Iwara-san. He makes very amusing company."

"Well." Mayuko blinked at them, rubbed her eyes. "Well…I just may take you up on that offer sometime." Her tone was a little disbelieving, as though her own words surprised her.

A hopeful smile lit Serena's face. "Okay," she said. "Okay! Bye, Mayuko-san!"

Mayuko waved a farewell reply as Darien and Serena exited the shop.

"Hey!" Serena stopped suddenly as they were passing the fountain. "You never made your wish!"

Darien glanced over his shoulder at the fountain. "Can't we just go home, Odango?"

Serena gave him a Look. "Where's your sense of fun?"

"Eclipsed by my sense of sensibility," answered Darien, but he followed her to the fountain. "Answer me this: do you make these wishes because you really believe they'll come true or for some more sensible reason?"

"Darien, according to you, when have I ever been sensible?"

"Touche," acknowledged Darien with a tip of his head. He withdrew the coin Serena had given him and rolled it in his fingers, looking thoughtfully into the pool.

"If you're so sure making a wish in the fountain won't do anything, why are you so scared to throw the coin in?"

Darien looked up, cornered by Serena's expectant and triumphant gaze.

"Who says I'm frightened?" he retorted halfheartedly. "Maybe I'm just trying to think of a good wish."

"Uh-huh," said Serena sardonically, mimicking his words from before but adding a nasal twang. "Suuuuuure. I believe you."

Darien ignored her and frowned at the rippling water. Watching him, it looked as though he was trying to pick out some message in the water, some clue.

How did you narrow all of your desires into one single wish? There was so much he wanted to be free from: the Dark Kingdom, the princess and her dreams, the college dilemma, his amnesia –

This last floated to the surface of his thoughts like a corpse floating to the surface of a lake. It was inevitable, at this time of year. But he had come a far way in the past couple of years – in the past months, even – and that gaping hole in his life no longer defined him. It was a single missing piece in the puzzle of his life; it was no longer _the _puzzle. For that, at least, he could be thankful for the Dark Kingdom and for Tuxedo Mask.

He watched Serena out of the corner of his eye; she, too, was unconsciously rubbing the coin in her fingers, grimacing minutely at the water. She was so illusioned still, so idealistic. She believed a single wish could save the world. He didn't have that conviction. He wished he did. He imagined that to have a faith in life like Serena did would be like having a road beneath your feet to follow, instead of stumbling blindly through a forest.

Still…even if a wish couldn't save the whole world, it must be good for something. The dark hair, with its tears trickling out from beneath the curls, painted itself in his mind's eye, and he threw the coin suddenly into the fountain, his decision made.

_Don't let death touch Buji again._

Serena hesitated only a moment after Darien threw his coin to throw hers. She turned, then, to Darien and said, "Okay, let's go!"

"What'd you wish for?"

Serena raised an amused eyebrow at him. "You can't tell what you wished, silly. Then it wouldn't come true!"

"Oh."

Serena looked back at him. She paused, waiting for him to catch up, then filled his hand with hers. "Come on, slowpoke," she said, and pulled him into a faster walk.

Darien looked down at her with a smirk as she dragged him along. "Odango, I'm parked that way." He pointed over his shoulder, in the opposite direction from where they were headed.

Serena flushed. "I knew that!" she lied. "I just – hmmm – wanted to look at this store over here!"

"Zone Z Erotica, you mean?" Darien read the name of the store they stood in front of.

Serena blanched, her eyes landing on the merchandise displayed in the shop window. "Before I answer that, what does erotica mean? Those are bathing suits, right?"

"Suuuure," said Darien.

L

Finding the perfect dress for Lita had taken no time at all. Mayuko had taken one off a hanger and made Lita put it on, and Lita had thought it looked wonderful and said so. Mayuko said, "Oh, yes, but just try this one for me. I have a feeling…"

Lita took it and disappeared behind the changing room door. It seemed not so much as though she slipped on the dress as that the dress slipped onto her. It climbed over her shoulder and hugged her in a silken embrace. Lita looked in the mirror and saw Beauty.

Almost in a trance, her eyes still fastened on her reflection, she fumbled with the door knob to open it.

"Oh." Mayuko nodded. "Oh, yes. I knew it. Perfect. And – here, put these on – " She crouched down to slip Lita's feet into a pair of dress shoes and laced them up Lita's calves. They looked more like ballet slippers than anything else, with the slightest heel to make Lita's muscles work to stand up in them and define her muscles but not enough to make her taller than Motoki.

"Mayuko-san," Lita breathed in disbelief. "You – these are – "

Mayuko smiled at her. "I remember my high school days," she said. "Too tall for most of the boys, with lots of curves. Most of all I remember how hard it was to find dresses that looked good."

"Yeah." A smile broke out on Lita's face through the tears she was crying without knowing why. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Ten minutes later Lita was walking out of the store in her school uniform again but with the precious dress slung carefully over her arm in a dress bag. She paused to get her bearings for a moment (and check her reflection in the fountain to make sure the embarrassing tear trails had disappeared), then headed towards the food court. It seemed like the sort of place Serena gravitated toward.

And she was there. With Darien, true to her word. Buji was nowhere in sight, though, and the way their heads were bent towards each other make them look rather like they were on a date.

Lita scanned the vicinity for Asanuma or Motoki but did not see either of them. Her gaze _did _land on a blonde girl who was situated in a perfect spot to see Darien and Serena but who was instead looking straight at Lita.

Lita's muscles tensed. _Mina._

The blonde rose from her seat behind a decorative palm tree and walked up to Lita.

"You have not really fooled yourself into believing that you are one of them, have you?" she said, inclining her head toward where Serena and Darien sat talking.

"Like I'm going to listen to you," Lita said angrily. Her dreamy dress mellowness was ruined. _Just walk away, Lita. Go sit down with Serena and Shields…_ She saw, then, Serena slide out of her seat to sit next to Darien and lean against him. _On second thought, I get the impression they wouldn't appreciate me interrupting them._

She turned back to Mina, her irritation flowing into her voice as sarcasm. "While we're having this _lovely _conversation, why don't you tell me just why you're so hellbent on killing Serena? You were so much less murderous when we met at school."

"That was before I realized what had happened." Mina's eyes dropped to her feet, her arms curling about herself. The vulnerability of the gesture surprised and softened Lita a little towards her. "What _did _happen, Jupiter?"

"My name's Lita."

Mina gazed at her. "Not when I knew you, it was not. You were Jupiter, and you were my lieutenant and my best friend. My sister. I trusted you more than anyone."

"When was this?" Lita demanded, somewhat skeptical but a little eager, as well. She could feel anticipation threading up in her. _Trusted _me_ more than anyone…_

"The Silver Millennium," Mina said the word quietly, pronouncing each syllable slowly as though to savor them. A tear trickled from her eye, and she looked away from Lita to scrub it away. "I cannot tell you anything about Sailor Moon back then, she was not one of us. I don't know where she has come from. But I can tell you the story of how our princess met her end. It may help you understand why I have done what I have done." She paused. "It is something even Luna and the other Senshi do not know."

"Why are you telling me and not them?"

Mina paused. "You have seen Mars and Mercury?"

It was a moment before Lita realized that she was asking and not stating. "Well, yeah," she said. "They're psycho!"

Mina nodded. "Yes. I am afraid of what they would do with this information. So I am waiting to tell them. But this is how our princess and our kingdom died."

Integral to the story, Mina began, was the princess' perfection and kindness. Then her curiosity and then the fateful event that would set their ruin into motion: the visit of Earth's prince to the moon. His subsequent seduction of the princess. How a prophecy warned that any union between the Earth and Moon would destroy them both, how the prince ignored that prophecy. How his people began to rise in rebellion and murderous rage against the Moon, and how he let them, thinking that if he conquered the Moon, his path to princess would be unobstructed. How one of his people, a young sorceress, made a pact with a demon whose wish was to possess the Moon's Silver Crystal. How this demon brought destruction to all the planets, sucking up souls through her black hole of a mouth until only the Earth and the Moon remained. How Earth's prince came to the Moon to beg for sanctuary, how when the demon and the Terrans came to the Moon, one by one all of the princess's Senshi fell, killed by the prince's generals. How…here Mina hesitated, but then plunged on – how the prince was killed but before dying he stabbed the princess so that she would die with him.

The prince, Endymion, whose selfishness had killed so many.

Endymion, who had been reincarnated right here in Tokyo.

Possibly as Darien Shields.

Lita recoiled.

"Now you see!" Mina grasped Lita's elbow. "Now you see why I do not trust Moon or Mask?" Her eyes seemed to be pleading.

"But – there wasn't a Sailor Moon in the Senshi then?" Lita tried to change the subject and avoid Mina's gaze. She felt uncomfortable, she had to think – she didn't like Darien, but to believe that he was the reincarnation of the Moon Princess's murderer seemed like a huge leap –

"No!" Mina shook her head. "Sailor Moon is an imposter – she is not of this solar system. Yet she has associated herself with the youth most likely to be the prince's reincarnation. Do you see why I view her as a threat to our princess?"

Lita did – yet the idea was preposterous. Serena would no more knowingly ally herself with a murderer than Gandhi would befriend Saddam Hussein.

"Serena would never hurt anyone," she said firmly. "Least of all your princess. She wants to protect her, too."

"If that is the case, then I have no quarrel with her."

Lita eyed her. "Meaning you don't plan to attack her again any time soon?"

"Providing she is not with the prince, no, I do not. But if she is fighting with him, I will not hesitate to do what I must."

Lita's eyes floated towards Serena's back. She was holding Buji in her lap, bent over him.

Her eyes flashed back to Mina's. "Neither will I."

Something fell in Mina's face. A rueful smile curved her lips as she placed a hand on Lita's shoulder. "I would never expect anything else from you."

Despite who it came from, it was an expression of confidence. Of encouragement. It wrapped Lita in a warm blanket of belonging. _Best friend,_ Mina had called her. _Sister_. All her life, growing up alone after her parents died, all she had ever wanted was to find somewhere to belong. A group of people who wanted her.

A family.

Mina's hands fell from her shoulders. "I – I just needed you to know, I sickened of thinking that you hated me because you could not understand my reasoning," she said in a rush. Her shoulders seemed to slump.

"I miss you, Jupiter," she whispered. Then she turned and walked away.

Lita stood still as a statue for a moment. A feeling of loss enveloped her. It only grew when she turned her head to look back at Serena and Shields sitting with Buji. A perfect, happy little family. They fit together as perfectly as the three pieces of the pease symbol, and she would only be an awkward and unwieldy hanger-on. Just like she was to the dynamic duo of Moon and Mask.

She squeezed her dress bag tight in her hands, staring at the table Mina had vacated, at the artificial palm tree. A couple, middle-aged and squabbling, invaded her line of vision and dumped their bags onto the chairs.

She felt as though she had just shut another door in the short hallway that was her life. She was running out of exits. Was she going to be stuck here alone forever?

That's not important, she told herself. Stop moping. Mina just laid a huge safety hazard in your lap and you're whining about not having a family? Serena's done everything in her power to make you feel like you belong – and what about Motoki? What is he, diced garlic? You're just greedy. You want both of them to yourself. Focus! Could Mina be right? Could Shields be that prince, Endymion? He's never mentioned it, but why would he after what Endymion did the Princess? The Senshi would murder him!

She thought harder, and the more she thought, the more sense Shields being Endymion made. It would explain a lot about him – why he supported Serena against the other Senshi, why he was set so rabidly against them, why he and Lita herself didn't get along, why he had powers over plants, why he was so controlling…

She started walking towards the mall exit. Thinking, thinking, thinking…

L

Quarter to nine found Serena and Darien in Darien's red sports car, backing out of the parking garage into a streetlamp-lit night.

"I hope Buji's okay." Serena experimented with the radio as she spoke, surfing the stations.

Darien checked the rearview mirror and made a turn. "A good night's sleep will probably do him wonders."

"I hope so…"

Traffic lights whipped by above them like stars as Darien sped down the unclogged streets. A tension coiled in his spine, hunching his shoulders.

"We haven't eaten dinner yet," Serena remarked as she fiddled with the dial. "Any ideas?"

Darien shrugged. "Not really hungry." He slowed for a red light, then sped up as it flickered to green.

"What happened?" asked Serena suddenly.

Darien spared a glance at her. "Huh?" he said, a little of the frown melting from his face.

"What happened?" she repeated. "When we were at the mall, you were in a pretty okay mood, but now you've turned Tuxedo-Mask-silent. What are you thinking?"

Darien grimaced a little. For as well as he could read Serena's moods, it appeared that she was becoming rather adept at reading his as well.

"What else is there to think about?" he said. "The Dark Kingdom. How screwed we are."

Serena leaned away from the radio. "Buji's dad died in a youma attack," she told him. "I don't know which one, and that makes me feel even worse, that there've been so many youma battles we never even went to that I can't even begin to guess which one Buji's dad died at."

"We're not _gods_." Darien made a sharp left turn off the main street. "We don't know everything, and we can't be everywhere. What do they expect us to do?"

He didn't know who he was referring to when he said "they." He just knew that whoever "they" were, he'd like to punch them in the face until their nose cartilage stabbed into their brains.

"Weird as it feels to say, things were so much easier when I just followed Luna." Serena sighed. "She didn't know everything and she bossed us around, but at least she was someone to _follow_. She gave us things to work toward. Now we're just treading water to try to stay afloat."  
"We would have something to work toward if there was something that could defeat the Dark Kingdom." Darien drove more slowly now, not so much because they had entered residential streets as because his anger had given way to pensiveness. "But what can defeat them?" He answered his own question. "The princess, supposedly."

"With the Silver Crystal," said Serena. "But we're no closer to finding either of them than we were when all this started."

"Which means that we need to find the Crystal and the princess." Darien drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "Which is what we've been looking for all long, which means that despite all the work of the past months, we're still no further than we were when we started."

"We have more Senshi than when we started," Serena pointed out.

Darien snorted. "Too bad three of them want to kill us."

Serena looked out the window. "Ami doesn't want to kill us."

"Yeah, but she's not exactly batting for our team, now, is she?" Darien countered.

They were quiet again. Serena stared out the window, at her reflection in the dark tinted glass. These thoughts that she and Darien had aired tonight – at the food court, here in the car – were ones that had been eating at her for no short amount of time. Morbid though they were, she was somehow glad that he had been thinking about the same things as she had, that he didn't ridicule her.

Maybe…maybe that meant he would understand.

"Darien, I've been thinking about…something. It's not something I'm proud of but I can't help thinking it but I don't want you to hate me for thinking it even though I know it's selfish – well, I guess really what I want to do is find some way to stop thinking it or something – "

Darien rolled his eyes. "Just spit it out, Odango."

Serena bit her lip. "Never mind."

"No, Serena, say it – "

"I don't want you to hate me – "

"I'm not going to hate you, okay?"

"But it's so selfish…"

Darien's mind flew to the folder of college forms sitting on his desk at home. "I'm the last person who's going to blame you for being selfish, Serena, believe me."

Serena still hesitated. Darien found an empty side street and pulled over.

"This car's not starting again until you spill."

Serena grimaced at him. "I can't wait till I'm old enough to drive."

"Give me a warning before they let you loose on the road so I can steer clear of you, will you?" Darien joked. "No, seriously, come on, Odango. Just tell me. I'm not going to hate you."

Serena still hesitated.

He took her hand the way she had taken his earlier. Her eyes flicked up to him.

"Serena," he said. "I will _never_ hate you. I promise."

Serena stared up at him. Her lips were slightly parted, and suddenly she bit down on the bottom one. "Okay," she said, but she withdrew her hand from his and looked away.

"I…I don't always feel this way all the time," she began. "Not always! Just…a lot of the time."

"Okay," said Darien. He placed his rejected hand awkwardly on the steering wheel. "How do you feel not always but a lot of the time?"

Serena bit her lip. "I don't want to be a Senshi anymore."

She saw the way his eyebrows rose, and rushed out, "I mean, technically, I'm not a Senshi anymore anyway because Luna kicked me out! And Venus is the leader of the Senshi but she obviously wants to kill me! And I'm not that great at fighting anyways!"

"None of those things bothered you before." Darien was watching her very closely from beneath his dark lashes. "Well, scratch that. They did bother you, but they never _stopped_ you."

Serena looked at the glowing radio dials to avoid his gaze. She said something, but her voice was inaudible.

Considering Darien had his ears perked to their most receptive Tuxedo Mask ultra-hearing, that was pretty quiet.

"Can you say it more loudly, Serena?" he asked carefully.

Like a little girl admitting that she'd broken her mother's favorite vase, she wouldn't look at him. She whispered, "I thought that maybe if I stop being a Senshi, I won't go to hell."

L

In places full of children, fairy tales and superstitions abound. From "And they all lived happily ever after" to "You can't blow your nose too hard or your brain will come out with your boogers" to "If you step on a crack you'll break your mother's back," young children swallow anything they're fed.

Especially children who are unaccustomed to being fed anything at all.

The orphanage Darien grew up in was no different (although the bit about breaking your mother's back wasn't applicable to most of the kids there). Darien, cynical even as a child, didn't believe most of the hearsay. So when one of the boys told him that he should hold his breath when he passed a cemetery, the then eight year old Darien had lifted an eyebrow and said, "What horror movie did you learn that from?"

This response had caused the older boy, Mikai, to flush and grumble and turn away. So though this confirmed Darien's guess that he had learned the advice from a movie, he still did not know exactly WHY one should hold their breath when near a cemetery.

And, despite his apparent disinterest, his interest was rather piqued. Especially when Christmas rolled around that year, and every child at the orphanage – except him – refused to go to the graveyard.

The orphanage director had sighed and thrown her hands up in disgust, and gone to tell the assistant that he would have to stay and watch the other children while she went with Darien to the cemetery.

"Darien, don't go," whispered one of the assembled orphans, a young girl of six who had attached herself to him since her arrival. Mrs. Takasi, the director, had confided in Darien that her parents and older brother had died in a car crash – like his own parents – and she had latched on to him as an older brother figure. As if Darien could not have put this together on his own. "They'll eat you!"

"Eat me?" repeated Darien.

"Mikai said!" she whispered urgently.

An old man frown wrinkled Darien's eight-year-old face. "Where's Mikai?" he said, and went in search of the older boy.

"What have you told everyone?" Darien wanted to know.

Mikai was twelve, and his parents weren't dead like many of the other children's. His daddy was in jail and his mom had lost custody of him.

The location – behind bars, at bars, or six feet under – of an orphan's parents basically identified a kid. The meanest ones were always the ones whose parents weren't dead. Which kind of wasn't fair, was the general consensus among the children who made the annual trip to the graveyard.

Mikai paused in his game of Mortal Kombat to sneer at Darien. "Something."

Darien merely blinked at him. "Like what?"

"Like…." Mikai pushed his head closer to Darien, lowering his voice. "When you breathe in a graveyard, you suck ghosts in and they take over your body."

"Hmm." Darien's noncommittal hum seemed to disconcert Mikai, for he pulled his head back. Darien lifted a contemptuous brow at him. "No wonder your mother didn't want you."

Fury bubbled across Mikai's face. He leapt up from his game to slam a punch into the little snotrag's face –

But somehow the little moron slipped away from it. And stood there looking at Mikai again with that face that said, _I'm better than you._

Mikai glared, panting. "Who cares?" he spat. "These kids are all scared now, and they're not gonna go no matter what you say. So guess what, they won't get to see their moms and dads this year, just like me. 'Cept you. But you don't even know what they look like." Mikai smirked.

"Can I play?" Darien said.

Mikai reeled backward, confused. "What?"

"The game." Darien pointed at the spare controller sitting beside Mikai.

"Okay," acquiesced Mikai suspiciously, keying in a second character for Darien. "But don't cry when I kick your skinny behind."

Darien bent to pick up the controller, not replying to Mikai's threat. He remained standing, and when the game began, calmly pressed buttons as Mikai punched them in a frenzy.

Not sixty seconds later, Darien set down the spare controller on the arm of the couch and left the room.

Mikai's character lay decapitated on the television screen.

L

When Mikai told Darien that little secret about graveyards, his first instinct had been to dismiss it: of course you didn't suck in ghosts when you breathed at a graveyard.

But then he thought about the handful of times he'd been to the graveyard before that Christmas, and about his dreams about the princess. And he wondered if perhaps the dream of that princess was the memory of some ghost that had taken up residence within him.

As he grew older, that theory faded in his mind, much like the dream of becoming a firefighter or the president wilts in the minds of all children. When he first transformed into Tuxedo Mask, it re-emerged like a long submerged submarine, draped in kelp and growing barnacles. Perhaps Tuxedo Mask was the manifestation of a ghost that had wormed into his body?

But it sank again, as he met Sailor Moon and learned the Senshi's story, and realized that they were not so different from him.

So why was he thinking about it now?

He knew why.

Because it was that time of year again.

April twenty-sixth. The day of the car crash. Or so he'd been told by the orphanage director, who drove him to their grave every year on that date, even though it was also her birthday.

He had continued the tradition even after he finally escaped the orphanage. Before he got his license, he had walked, then ridden his bike, and finally, last year, drove in his brand-new sports car with its tinted windows and surround sound speakers.

Every year, he promised himself he wouldn't come again.

Every year, he broke his promise.

And every year, he crouched in front of the graves, wondering why he had bothered to come.

It wasn't like he remembered his parents. It wasn't like he grieved for them. He should have, probably, but he didn't. He was not, by nature, an emotional being. He cared for exactly three people in the world: Motoki, Asanuma, and Serena. The only presence his parents were in his life was that of two slabs of eroded tombstones. Had it not been for the orphanage director, he would not be able to tell their graves from any of the other 4,467 in the Juuban cemetery.

But he went there every year. Out of obligation. Out of guilt. Out of not having anything better to do every year – until now.

Sometimes, on dark, angsty nights, to keep himself from falling asleep and dreaming about the crystal, he imagined his parents. Some nights they were a loving, happy, doting couple; sometimes they were artists, sometimes CEO's. (It usually depended on what Darien had eaten for supper that night.)

Other nights they were abusive, cussing, fighting drunks who passed their nights in front of the TV or at the bar. Sometimes he followed these thoughts, daring to ruminate on the possibility that his parents weren't the picture perfect orange juice ad family he had always imagined them to be as a kid. He pictured a wretched battered existence under his father's belt and his mother's sharp voice. He did this on the hell nights: the dark, cloudy nights when youma battles had torn into screaming dreams of desperate princesses that had followed exam-fraught school days that made up a long useless string of months and years that led back to a huge empty blank. These ruminations dug him deeper into that dark, dirty hole that human beings love to wallow in, the hole that hides us from shell-fire and allows us to feel like martyrs, to think bitterly that no one in the world has as miserable an existence as I do.

And when he allowed these thoughts to grow and root in his mind, contempt grew within him for his parents. Why should he go to the grave of such horrible parents?

Then he remembered that he didn't know if they were abusive or not, that their behavior was only a figment of his imagination.

And then he felt guilty. How could he denigrate his parents' memory like that? What kind of horrible, petty, selfish, desperate little coward was he? He didn't even deserve parents.

Today was April twenty-sixth. When he came across the coffin store at the mall, it had seemed like a reminder – there's still time to change your mind. Still time for you to go to them...

Because he hadn't gone this year. It would require leaving Serena alone– and Sailor Venus, Luna, and the Negaverse were all still at large. He wouldn't leave her, even for his parents.

Even if Lita was right here, watching over her. Even if Lita had dusted two youma on her own already. Even if he was a horrible son and his mother was crying up in heaven right now because he never came to see her…

L

Darien stared at Serena. Horror roiled within him like a storm-churned sea. Sailor Pluto would later pinpoint this as the second Darien Shields decided not to go to Yale.

_While you've been worrying about getting into a good college_, sneered the voice in his head, _**she**'s been worrying about going to hell!_

"I know I'm horrible." Serena's voice was wretched. "A hundred, maybe thousands, of people saved from youma versus me, one measly person, getting out of going to hell." She flinched a little as she said "hell." It had always been an curse word to her. "No contest, right?"

Darien felt like such a bastard. He tried to pay attention to what Serena was saying, but the infuriated voice roaring at him inside his head was distracting. How could he have forgotten what Zoicite had told her? How could he not have noticed that something more than just youma and Sailor Venus was bothering her?

How could he have even _considered_ traipsing off to America?

He hated himself. God, he hated himself.

"Never mind. I'm sorry. Just forget I said anything." Serena directed her eyes at her lap.

That was the last thing Darien planned to do. But at the same time, he had no idea what to tell her. Sure, he _wanted _to tell her to stop being a Senshi. He wanted her to be able to live without dark bags beneath her eyes and cuts crisscrossing her skin. He wanted her to live without dreams that made her wake up with the taste of blood in her mouth, without cats and teenage girls and Dark Kingdom generals leaping out at her from behind every corner, without having to lie to her friends and her family.

But it wasn't his right to say that she could. Sailor Moon didn't belong to him. She belonged to Tokyo, to Japan, to the world. And they needed her to defend them from youma because she was the only one who could – the only one who _would_.

Aside from him. But he didn't know how long he'd fight if he didn't have the motivation of keeping her safe in battles.

So how could he tell her it was okay for her to stop being Sailor Moon?

Maybe he should have told her about Yale, about how selfish he had been to consider going. Maybe that would have made her feel better about what she viewed as her own selfishness.

Or maybe it would just have made her feel even more horrible because she would realize that Darien was not leaving because of her.

Sometimes your friends can break you out of your prison cell. But other times, all they can do is smuggle you a little food and comfort through the bars.

And that was all Darien could do this time.

"I can't tell you what to do, Serena," he struggled as wretchedly as her. "All I can promise you is that I swear I won't hate you no matter what you do. And if you do go to hell, I'll come with you."

He smiled with more enthusiasm than he felt. What was this what it felt like to be Serena? "Who knows, maybe the devil will get so sick of our arguments that he'll spit us back out."

An equally sickly laugh escaped Serena, more an exhalation than anything else. She inhaled again, sharp and trembly, the harbinger of sobs. But she swallowed them and looked at him. Her eyes were as wide and scared as ever, but a new determination set her face.

"Thank you."

Silence settled upon them like a snowdrift as they regarded each other. At last, when a truck zoomed past, Darien started and looked away. He keyed the ignition and pulled back into the road.

Serena busied herself with the radio channels again. Click, click, click –

"That one," Darien blurted out. "I like the song."

Serena turned it back to the jazz station. "You and your elevator music," she said, but there was fondness in her voice.

When the song ended and the male DJ came on, a thought occurred to her. "Hey, what'd you do with Toki and Numa?"

They had reached Serena's house. Darien pulled into the driveway but didn't kill the engine.

"They went home," he said. "Guys can't shop on their own for longer than an hour; it's a law in the Code of Heterosexual Men."

"What does that say about you, then?" Serena asked slyly.

"I wasn't shopping, I was walking," retorted Darien, rolling down his window to get a good look in the front window of the house. He could see Lita's silhouette, peeling some vegetable or other at the kitchen counter. He rolled it up again and killed the engine, getting out of the car. "You can go, Lita's inside."

"Aren't you coming?" asked Serena, a little surprised as she got out and shut her door.

"A little later" was all Darien said.

Not prying further but with a concerned look on her face, Serena headed up the front walk. She glanced over her shoulder at him again as she unlocked the door, as though asking, _Are you sure?_

He shook his head. He waited until she shut the door behind her and locked it. Then he melted back into the shadows. When he transformed, he could taste her worry.

And he wondered – had his mother ever worried like that for him?

L

He wouldn't leave her, even for his mother. Even if he was a horrible son and his mother was crying up in heaven right now because he never came to see her…

…even if he died in a couple of days and went with Serena to hell and never did get to see his mother?

It would only take half an hour. Just half an hour, to stand in front of their graves and apologize that he never would end up getting to meet them after all.

He strode briskly through the cemetery, beelining for the hulking oak tree in the corner. It cast a huge shadow during the day, and at ten-thirty at night, the ground beneath it was positively black. Even his excellent Tuxedo Mask eyesight only allowed him to make out the shapes of his parents' grave markers. A little shiver stroked his spine, but he ploughed boldly on.

He stopped in front of the twin graves and rocked back on his heels. Okay, he was here, what now?

More to stall than out of any particular sentiment, he conjured some flowers – God, he didn't even know what they were. Maybe baby's breath – and sprinkled them across the grave. He had a sudden swift flash of yearning and wished that he knew his mother's favorite flower, so he could give it to her.

Something sharp suddenly bit into his palm, and his fingers curled around the object that had materialized in his hand. They were quite familiar with its shape: a rose.

Darien's lips quirked up humorlessly. How appropriate. His mother liked roses.

He dropped it, and as it fell, a golden spark arced up, healing the tiny hole in the fleshy skin of his palm.

He stood there for much longer than he had planned. Thinking about everything and nothing. What would his life be like now if his parents were alive? What would they think of Toki, Numa, and the Odango? Would he even know them if his parents were alive? Would he attend Azabu, would he live in Japan –

Would he have become Tuxedo Mask?

Darien's thoughts grew as muddled as a puddle. Mental turmoil like this was the reason he thought of his parents as rarely as possible.

He took deep breaths and pivoted, walking quickly from the graves. This was what happened when you dredged up the past; confusion and pain abounded –

In his haste and agitation, he did not watch his footing as closely as he should have. An uplifted tree root caught his foot and sent him sprawling. His chin slammed into the ground and snapped his jaw shut. The side of his face grazed down a tombstone.

Golden sparks erupted on that side of his face, and he found himself face to face with a gold-lit tombstone adorned by a wistfully-smiling angel. He pushed himself up on his arms, then a familiar sensation exploded within him. A sensation that tasted like anxiety, adrenaline – but more than anything, disbelief.

"Damn!" he spat out, spraying the tombstone with blood from his tongue. "Odango, I'm going to kill you… "

L

Lita didn't fall asleep until after ten. Serena wondered what had kept the brunette up. She had been in a rather strange mood all night. When Serena asked her about her dress, Lita had said, "Huh? What dress?" before remembering it. She said she would show it to her later. Which seemed strange to Serena, since she herself usually wanted to show off dresses as much as possible, but probably Lita was much more modest than her.

Perhaps Lita had realized that Serena wasn't asleep either. Perhaps she suspected. Maybe the snores escaping from her right now were faked. Maybe the moment Serena extended so much as one foot out of the bed, Lita would leap up and shout "Ha! I caught you!" and demand to know what she was doing.

Serena could, of course, just say that she was going to get a drink of water. But Darien always told her she was a horrible liar, so Lita would probably see right through that fib.

Thus, to be safe, Serena waited nearly another hour in her bed before beginning Part 2 of her plan. She nearly went mad, lying stiff as starch under her blankets so as not to arouse Lita's suspicion. Oh, how her big toe wanted to move! And how tempting sleep was…warm and vague and youma-less.

The digital clock glowed 11:18 when Serena jerked awake. Entangled in her blankets, she let out a muffled "grrmph!" and tumbled off the bed.

She froze, still tented under her sheets. Lita's snoring had stopped!

Minutes passed and lengthened. At long last, Serena tentatively lifted the corner of the blanket to peer out. Lita had rolled over on her side and was, for all purposes, sleeping like a baby.

Serena was to her feet and out of the bedroom like lightning. Down the stairs she flew like a sprite – had anyone seen her then, they would have taken back every time they'd ever called her a klutz.

At the back door, she paused. One hand gripped the doorknob, the other patted her pajama shirt pocket to ensure its cargo was still there. Reassured, she eased the door open and slid out into the muggy night air.

Deserted as she had felt when Darien had left that night, she was glad now that he had. Sneaking out of the house with him around would have been much more difficult.

Not a soul roamed the streets. For this she was also glad, for she suddenly realized that she had left the house in only her pajamas. Not such great planning on her part – but this wouldn't take long.

Hopefully.

Perhaps she should transform. It would certainly ease her jangling nerves – but no. Darien would probably sense her, and if he discovered her midnight jaunt – _he'd kill me,_ thought Serena emphatically. _Definitely not transforming. I'll just run._

And run she did, quickly eating up the two miles between her neighborhood and the Catholic girls' academy that stood a couple blocks from Rei's temple.

The gates were padlocked, but that was easily bypassed. Serena took a breath, crouched, and jumped. She sailed over the iron-wrought spikes, pajamas and pigtails flapping in the wind.

"Okay. Easy as cake." Serena spoke aloud, trying to distract herself from the silence that permeated everything. Why did these Catholic private schools have to have so many creepy-looking statues of suffering saints and martyrs all over? And why were they so unhappy, anyway? At least they were gong to heaven for their efforts! "Now for the hard part. Gotta find her locker."

Which would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Serena had been to Rei's school only once before in her life, when Rei brought her and Ami there because "I left a book in my locker, Odango Atama! Some of us actually DO our homework!"

The other students hadn't struck Serena as very friendly. They had stopped in conversations or in their extracurricular sports to watch Rei leading the blonde and bluenette imperiously through the halls. None of them had smiled; a couple whispered behind their hands. Serena had wondered at the time if Rei was as grumpy at school as she was the rest of the time. If she was, she couldn't blame the miko's classmates. But they still could have waited until Rei was out of earshot to talk.

But that wasn't the point. The point was that Serena could vaguely remember that Rei's locker was somewhere close to the end, by a restroom, and also that it was in the sophomore hall. But there were still at least a dozen lockers fitting that description. How was she to figure out which one belonged to Rei?

As it turned out, Rei's locker wasn't hard to find at all. It stuck out like a youma in a crowd of humans.

It was dented and the red paint chipped as though kicked by many a passing foot. A Shinto symbol and the words "Jesus Hater" had been daubed on the scratched metal.

"Those bitc – ullies!" exclaimed Serena heatedly, her face flushing in indignation. How long had this going on? Rei's locker hadn't been like this the first time she'd seen it, a couple months ago! Was this why Rei was so bitter?

Serena wanted nothing more than to scrub the paint clean off the locker door. But time was ticking, and she had to go. But if nothing else, the state of Rei's locker cemented Serena's resolve in what she was doing. She stood up on her tiptoes to reach the ventilation shafts slitted into the locker, and slipped the contents of her pocket through it.

She stalked out of the school with perhaps less caution than she should have; her fury at Rei's treatment distracted her from stealth. Consequently, she failed to notice the shadow that streaked down from a tree to stand in the middle of her path until she physically ran into it.

And no, it wasn't Darien.

It was the only other blonde currently residing in Juuban, decked out in full Senshi regalia. And looking dangerous.

"What were you doing in there?"

Serena's first instinct was to turn and run. A phantom pain had begun to sear in her temple, as though imploring Serena to leave before it was torn open anew.

But looking at Mina, so similar in build and color to her, Serena saw an image. An image of what she could be, a pseudo-reflection. Mina was not so different from her. That narrowing of her eyes, that determination in her chin, that threat in her stance – Serena could have that, too.

Mina had nothing that Serena did not.

So Serena drew herself up to her full length, mirroring Mina's bellicose pose. "We don't have to be enemies, Mina."

Sailor Venus's glowering eyes glowed in the darkness like radioactive acid. "You know nothing of what has to be," she snapped.

"We're all fighting for the same thing, aren't we?" Serena plowed on determinedly. "We all want to get rid of the Dark Kingdom and keep everyone safe."

"I don't give a _damn_ about the Earth or its people!" Mina spat. "I would let the whole Dark Kingdom loose on them if not for the princess!"

Serena's eyes widened. She felt like a fish flailing out of water, plucked out of the world she had known and plopped down into a perfectly foreign one. "But – but – we're all the same, aren't we?" she said weakly. "We're all _Senshi_ – "

**_HISS – CRACK._**

Serena's eyes snapped wide as the chain buckled into her head again.

"But…" Her voice was a whisper, her expression disbelieving. A slippery stream of blood coated her eyelid and coursed down her cheek in neat trails, as though traced by a phantom finger.

"I can see now" said Sailor Venus, grabbing Serena by the collar and using the hem of her pajamas to wipe the blood from her whip. Serena stared blankly down at her as though Mina was someone she had never seen before. "That you are no Senshi. You are weak. You know _nothing_ of what it is to be Senshi."

She snorted in disgust and threw Serena down.

But instead of landing in a boneless heap on the sidewalk, the little blonde snapped into a crouch. Her face was to the ground, her bangs curtaining her face, but her eyes shone through, fastened on Mina. They glowed white.

_Plip._

_Plop._

Blood dripped steadily as raindrops from the gash the Love-Me Chain had bitten into the blonde's head.

Minako stared at the waif's glowing eyes, transfixed. There was something about them, something familiar, something nagging – it was as though they were a puzzle piece to a puzzle she had not even realized existed…

_Plip._

_Plop._

The waif moved. Still crouched, cradling itself, it pulled a golden object into its curled embrace. Words were whispered and light flashed, and then Venus's reflection stood before her in blue and red.

"If all Senshi are like you," it said, "then I do not want to be Senshi."

L

_"Mars," said Venus suddenly. "Do you ever…hate yourself?"_

_Mars glanced up from the lava that she swam within. Only Venus could ever accompany her on these excursions: none of the other Senshi were accustomed to the intense heat that Martians cherished and Venusians tolerated._

_"You're asking this of the girl who was sired by Satan." Mars' voice was disbelieving. "Daughter of sin."_

_"Don't be flippant," said Venus. "That's my job. Without jesting, Mars…do you?"_

_Mars regarded Venus with her steady gaze for a long moment. Strange how Mars' eyes, which were not iris and pupil but flames and danced constantly, still managed to have the steadiest gaze that Venus had ever had trained on her._

_"Yes."_

_Venus waited for more. She fidgeted, but did not speak. Mars moved at her own pace, especially when it came to talking. She did not take kindly to prompting._

_"You are looking for a solution," Mars stated. "I have not found one. Hating oneself is perhaps good, I think. Like bathing in lava, letting something painful burn away the affects we have given ourselves."_

_"Why would something painful be good?" Venus raised an eyebrow._

_"Because it is a warning." Mars' fathomless eyes burned out into the distance. She was past Venus, past Senshi. She ascended to a different level with her powers, and Venus often envied that ability. "Have you never noticed, Venus, that we hate ourselves most when we are hating other people?"_

L


	32. Secret Admirers

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or the song "Lonely Day" by Phantom Planet.

L

Subject to Change

Chapter Thirty-Two: Secret Admirers

L

The only time Tuxedo Mask had ever felt such a strong sense of shock from Serena was when Venus's chain had hit her head. Surely the same thing couldn't have happened again?

This was a different flavor of shock, though. Pain accompanied it, yes, but there was something hollow…disillusionment. That was what it was. Something Serena had believed in had been shot down like a dove with blood quickly staining its white feathers.

He suddenly became aware that he was chanting, "Please not Venus, please not Venus," barely audible over the wind whooshing past his ears.

Sailor Moon's sense abruptly hardened. He concentrated on it, feeling the fear and disbelief falling away from her like molted feathers. Beneath was a deep sense of calm and confidence, as unbreakable as diamond.

At that moment, Tuxedo Mask bounded down from the last rooftop to land precariously atop a school fence. Below him, in the middle of the road, two Senshi faced off. Venus versus Moon.

Venus's chain hissed back an forth like a snake's tongue, moving so quickly that it blurred.

But several lengths of the jeweled chain lay severed on the ground like worms. It didn't take long for Tuxedo Mask to figure out where they had come from. Sailor Moon held in her hand a glowing rod that looked like an elongated version of her tiara. With it she was batting the chain away every time it came within a foot of her, and each time she batted, a new section of chain was chopped off and clattered to the cement. An infuriated, wild Sailor Venus was lengthening her chain to make up for it, but Sailor Moon did not seem to tire, simply continuing to spin and duck and leap and whirl and chop. There was a strange glow radiating from her skin. Or maybe it was just the pool of moonlight that the two Senshi stood in.

Venus finally let out a roar and fell still, her chain slamming down into the ground and buckling into the asphalt. A huge crack slithered down the asphalt from where it had landed to the base of the fence spire Tuxedo Mask perched upon.

Sailor Moon also fell still, but her chest did not heave up and down the way Sailor Venus's did. She did not seem exerted at all. She stared hard at Venus, and Tuxedo Mask could finally spot a trembling in her hands as they hung at her sides. He also spotted a darkness on one side of her fuku; he leaned to one side to look more closely, but that was when everything exploded into motion.

Golden light sprayed from Venus's suddenly outstretched palms; Sailor Moon leapt, twisting into a mid-air backward somersault as the attack whooshed past beneath her, but even before her boots touched the ground again, Venus had sent little glowing golden hearts hurtling towards her.

Tuxedo Mask tensed, pushing off his perch and tearing toward Sailor Moon, but he knew it would be too slow –

Sailor Moon crouched in, hugging herself, and extended one arm, opening the palm wide. The golden grenades collided with her palm and splashed off in a rain of golden droplets.

Sailor Venus screamed rage and teleported away.

Tuxedo Mask snatched up Sailor Moon without even stopping and raced back up to the rooftops. Only then did he realize that Sailor Moon's transformation was flickering, her fuku fading into pink pajamas and then shimmering back to fuku again. And only then did he feel the warm, sticky liquid seeping into his glove as he cradled her head.

_DAMN!_ In his head, he cursed both Serena and Sailor Venus, one for sneaking out and the other for hurting Serena AGAIN, and in the same spot, to cap it off!

But it was better this time, he assured himself. This time, he knew she could heal, this time he knew how to help her heal.

"Serena!" His half-crazed voice tried to wake her even as he located the mental rope and touched it gently. Her eyes fluttered open a little, as though pulled up by the rope.

"I'm sho grounda'," she slurred.

"You're so grounded?" Tuxedo Mask interpreted with an involuntary smile. It heartened him that she felt well enough to joke. "If not by me, then definitely by Lita. Look, Odango, stay transformed, okay?"

Serena nodded, her eyelids already shutting. "To heal," she mumbled, clumsy-tongued.

Tuxedo Mask waited until she had fallen back asleep to start moving again. Something felt slightly off-kilter about the way he moved while carrying her, and it took him a moment to pinpoint exactly what it was. The arm that she usually had cupped around his neck or gripping his lapel to steady herself was absent. He looked down and saw that the absent hand was occupied tightly gripping her transformation brooch.

Ah. His eyes cleared behind his mask. That explained how she had deflected Venus's last attack – the same way she had prevented Jupiter's lightning from frying her. Thank God for that brooch – even though it was the same item that tied Serena to this unhappiness in the first place.

By the time Tuxedo Mask reached home – or rather, the Tsukino house, he corrected himself – the bleeding on Sailor Moon's head had already stopped. This soothed him immensely, for a voice in the back of his head had wondered if perhaps her last healing had been only a fluke…

But it wasn't, and he bent awkwardly while still holding her to grapple with one of the stones lining the front walk. Serena had showed him that the spare key lay beneath it, and he used this to open the door quietly. With even more awkwardness than before, he tore off his cape with his teeth (since both hands were occupied with Serena) and spread it out over the living room sofa so that no blood would get on the fabric and lead to questions later.

Then he set Serena down on the sofa where he could keep an eye on her. He settled down on the floor beside it, folding up his leg so that he could rest his head on it and watch the head wound closely.

He wondered for a moment if he should detransform or not, then realized that if Serena's parents (or anyone else, for that matter) were to walk in, it would be better for them to see Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask camped out than Sailor Moon and one of Serena's male friends.

Speaking of which, when were Serena's parents coming home? Serena had mentioned something…he frowned, trying to remember…they had extended their trip and were now returning on Saturday.

Saturday. A jolt ran through him. That was soon. He hadn't given much thought to it before, but not being able to be with Serena basically 24/7 now seemed rather difficult. Aside from the fact that he'd gotten used to her always being there to talk to, there was the question of how they would keep her safe. Lita wouldn't be able to sleep over every night, and he certainly wouldn't be allowed to stay ANY night. But they couldn't leave her guarded only by her superprotective, spastic father.

A sigh escaped from his lips. It would probably be back to camping in the tree. But how long could that last? Until graduation? His or hers? Until college was over? What if one of them got a job far away? Until one of them got married? Somehow he doubted that Serena's husband would appreciate some guy watching her from outside her window. _He_ certainly wouldn't, if it was him. How about until they were both too old for the Dark Kingdom could consider them a threat? Because that might be how long it was before the Dark Kingdom actually all out attacked.

He sighed again. There was too much to worry about, too much demanding his brain cells. He was tired of thinking…

Sleep lapped at his consciousness like the tide, and eventually it washed him away from the shore. His head nodded forward, nestling in the cove between Serena's neck and shoulder.

That night, his dreams of the princess were more vivid than they had ever been before.

L

The first thing Lita did when she woke up the next morning was sit up and check to make sure that Serena was still safe in bed.

She wasn't.

Immediately, Lita's thoughts flew to the conversation between she and Mina the night before. Mina had said she would leave Serena alone as long as she didn't fight with Darien against her. That meant Mina wouldn't have kidnapped Serena from her bed in the middle of the night.

Maybe Serena was downstairs. Maybe by some freak phenomenon of nature she had left her bed at five-thirty in the morning and gone downstairs to read the newspaper.

Yeah, right.

Lita checked the bathroom.

Then all the bedrooms.

Then the kitchen.

No Serena.

At last she accepted that she would have to tell Shields Serena was missing. He was, after all, as obsessed with Serena's safety as she was, even if he was motivated by less noble reasons.

So Lita went to the living room –

And found Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask.

The first thing she took in was how close they were. That alarmed her a little. But that concern was swept away like debris on a tidal wave when she saw the huge reddish-brown stain on Serena's fuku and the flaky reddish stuff gunked in her hair. She lost ten years off her life when she saw that.

She rushed towards Serena and saw that no, her chest was moving; she was still breathing. And when she bent closer to examine Serena's hair, she saw the wound had closed to a puckered scar that drew a sinister cross with the scar from Saturday.

Lita forced herself to go to the kitchen and start cooking breakfast before she did anything else. Serena would need lots of food to replenish her after all the energy she had expended to heal. But she really, really wished for a TV in the kitchen.

Because she was thinking.

Serena had been hurt again, clearly with Shields. The wound was the same, which probably meant that the weapon was the same: Sailor Venus's chain. And Sailor Venus would only have attacked Serena if she was with Shields.

She tried to reconstruct what might have happened. Serena had come home last night without Darien; he had gone somewhere with business to take care of. Serena had seemed jumpy all evening (she berated herself. That should have clued her in that something was up! If only she hadn't been so preoccupied wondering if Shields really was Endymion!), but Lita knew that she must have been at house until at least eleven because Lita had still been awake at that time and listening to Serena breathe.

But at some time she must have left the house and encountered Sailor Venus. Perhaps Venus had confronted Shields and Serena had jumped in front of an attack meant for him. It was definitely the sort of thing Serena would do.

"I'll make the pancakes if you want to go get changed."

Lita nearly leapt out of her skin. As it was, she spun around and nearly knocked over the skillet. There was Darien, standing in the kitchen doorway in his uniform as though nothing were wrong.

She turned back to the stove. "No _thanks_," she snarled.

"Okay." Darien shrugged. "I'll go wake Serena up then – "

"No!" Lita spun again, her spatula flying out like a sword. "_I_'ll get Serena – "

A yawn interrupted her. Serena shuffled in wearing her pajamas. "I'm up, I'm up," she said distractedly. One hand was gingerly pressing against her temple, fingering the dried blood and closed scab. Unhappiness marred her face.

Shields pulled her hand away from the wound. "Don't pick at it."

Serena looked up at him as he pulled her hand away, and some silent conversation seemed to pass between them. Her expression was apprehensive, his was fierce; then they seemed to trade, Serena's gaze intense and Darien's exasperatedly despairing. At last he shook his head and pushed her hair out of her face.

"Don't let there be a next time," he said, finally speaking aloud.

Lita was squeezing the spatula in her hand very hard. "_Someone_'s still waiting to hear what happened _this_ time. What in the heck was Serena doing outside alone? Or did _you_ call her outside?" She directed this last accusingly at Shields.

Darien wanted to know the answer to why Serena had been outside without permission as well, but he could see Serena retreating into her shell at Lita's agitation. Her eyes were falling toward her hands.

They weren't going to get any answers unless they calmed down – Serena may be used to a furious, demanding Darien, but this was her first encounter with an angry Lita. He wondered if maybe her experience with the other angry Senshi was making her shy away from Lita like a horse accustomed to being whipped.

"How about Serena tells us the story after she gets dressed?" he said as lightly as he could. "She'll feel better after she gets all that gunk washed off."

Serena nodded quickly. "I'll be quick," she promised, and ran upstairs.

Darien bit the side of his cheek in thought, wondering if the benefits of Lita going upstairs to make sure Serena didn't relapse outweighed the risks. Before he could decide, Lita gave him a glare, tossed him the spatula, and headed up after Serena.

Lita seemed unusually hostile towards him today, he realized as he poured more batter into the skillet. But perhaps it was…you know. That time. In his experience, girls often became irrationally furious and homicidal during those days.

In fact, maybe it was magnified in Senshi. He had always thought Rei seemed particularly murderous on some days, more genocidal than homicidal, targeting not just a single male but the whole race of them. No girl he'd ever come across before had been quite that violent no matter what time of the month it was, but it seemed like Lita might come close.

Serena had never been that grumpy, though – well, except the time he ruined her dress at last Spring Fling – but let's not think about that, his mind said hastily. So maybe it wasn't a Senshi thing but just a homicidal girls thing. Although there were times when Serena just got extremely depressed. He'd never been exposed to those bouts of depression until he found out she was Sailor Moon, so he'd just put them down to her finally being able to reveal her true fears and anxieties about the Dark Kingdom to someone. But maybe they were due to something else…

Well, he really didn't want to think any more about the subject, he decided. He'd just shut up and be grateful he didn't have to deal with it.

He smiled a little thankfully to himself, then tuned back into the real world. And abruptly realized that he was standing in the middle of a cloud of smoke.

BEEEEEEEEEEP. BEEEEEEEEEEEEP. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP! The smoke alarm was shrieking like the world was ending. He swore and yanked the pan, which held the flaming pancake, off the burner and dropped it with a CLANG! into the sink. He rushed to turn on the faucet and then reached up to bonk the smoke alarm.

But it was too late. The damage had already been done. He could hear Lita thundering down the stairs, and the stack of pancakes she'd already made were coated in soot from the smoke. Totally inedible, except for maybe by Sailor Mars. He'd certainly enjoy stuffing them down her throat –

"WHAT IN THE HECK DID YOU DO?" Lita burst into the kitchen. Her eyes alighted on the steaming pan in the sink, the blackened stack of pancakes. "THAT's why I didn't want you to make the pancakes!" She snatched up the plate of ruined pancakes and shoved them in his face. "See what you've done to them? See?"

"I'm not blind, Kino, I can see them!" Darien pushed the plate away from his face, his anger was mounting. That time or not, Lita was really making him mad… "I burned them, I'm sorry. Sue me."

"I'd rather punch you!" Lita snapped. "These were for Serena's breakfast! Are you _trying _to ruin her life?"

Silence filled the room like a lake, very deep, very cold.

At last, Darien said icily, "_Excuse me_?"

Lita's fiery green eyes maintained contact with his for a long moment, as though deciding whether or not now was a good time for this confrontation. Her eyes flicked to the stairs – Serena was tugging the tangles from her washed hair and putting it up, so she would not hear.

"Well?"

The ill-veiled fury in Darien's voice stirred Lita into action. How dare he act like the offended party when this was HIS fault!

"Don't 'well' me!" she snapped, her fingers shaking with rage. "I want you to leave. Right now!"

Once upon a time, before her parents died, they had taken her on a camping trip in the country. She remembered begging them to let her sleep in her own tent instead of sharing theirs. They had bought her a frilly pink princess tent that she had seen on TV, and she had been excited as a kitten with yarn to sleep in it. But that night in the darkness beneath the roof of that tent, she had felt too choked and suffocated. So she crept out of it with her sleeping bag and Mr. Cuddly (her teddy bear) to sleep outside under the starry sky.

But as she had stared up at the huge, stretching expanse of velvety blue-black, it was hardly more comforting than the smothering darkness of the tent. The sky was like an enormous bowl swallowing the whole world, pressing down on her. So dark that even the stars faded.

And that was what Darien's eyes were like right now. So dark and intense that they could swallow the world and extinguish every star in the sky.

His voice was ice when he spoke. "I trust you have a reason for this request?"

"Buddy, it's not a request." Blood pounded in Lita's ears as she forced herself to meet those dark, gaping eyes…it was as though his irises had bled and stained the white of his eyes. And he just kept standing there, _staring_ at her and waiting, his hands shoved into his pockets like he was a normal teenage boy.

But he no longer even seemed human to her. No wonder Mina didn't trust him.

"Are you deaf?" she forced all the furious bravado she could into her voice. "I said out!"

"I'll consider it," said Darien, and his voice did not match his eyes at all. It was taut and cracking, shaking like a rotting rope bridge. "After you tell me what the hell you think I've done to ruin Serena's life."

"You want an explanation?" demanded Lita. "Okay. I'll give you an explanation. Serena keeps getting hurt because of _you_. Luna and the Senshi think Serena's been too friendly with Tuxedo Mask, she gets kicked out. Sailor Venus finds out Sailor Moon's allies with you, she pulls out the whip. Last night, Serena leaves the house for _you_, her heads gets cracked open again. You can't tell me there's not a pattern there!"

Lita stared hard at Darien's inscrutable expression. She had only known him for a few weeks, and thus she did not know, as Motoki and Serena and even Asanuma knew, that when Darien's face went totally expressionless was when he was feeling the most emotion. Emotion that was so strong that he didn't know what to do with it, so he hid it.

So Lita saw only his unaffected expression, and it spurred her to high levels of rage.

"You don't even CARE!" Her voice was half venom and half disbelief. Infuriated sparks practically shot from her eyes. They were already leaking from her fingertips.

"Shut up," Shields said quietly.

"You don't even care how much danger you've put her in! "

"Shut _up_," he said again, louder.

"You don't give a DAMN about her – "

"SHUT UP!"

Lita stumbled backwards at the intensity of his glare. But she glowered right back.

"I protected Serena for MONTHS," Darien snarled. "Before you even knew that she existed!"

"Well, I know now!" bellowed Lita back. "And you know what else I know? I know that Mina has something against you and that Serena's getting caught in it."

"Exactly," said Shields.

Lita backpedaled; why was he agreeing with her?

"Venus already knows that Serena's close to me," he continued. "She'll go after Serena no matter what – I don't know what lies she's dripped in your ear, Lita, but Venus hates Serena. Whether it's because of me or not, I don't know, and it doesn't really matter anyways because she's already decided to hate Serena. It doesn't matter to her whether I'm near Serena or not. But it _will _matter to Serena's survival because there's no one who can protect Serena any better than I can.

"Serena needs more than just protection from youma and rogue Senshi. And you won't know when because Serena won't tell people when she needs something. But I've been with her from the beginning, and I owe it to her to stay. And I'm not going to go back on that just because YOU don't want to share her."

There was a long pause as they each digested what he had said.

Finally, Lita said, "You know what? I have two problems with that."

"One," she lifted her index finger. "You _can't _protect Serena. _She _protected _you_ on Saturday. You were there, and she _still _got her head cracked open. Actually, she got it cracked open _because _of you – " Darien flinched – "But we'll get back to that."

"Two," she lifted a second finger. "If you're so _essential_ to Serena's survival, why are you going to a school in America next year?"

This time, the silence was not a lake.

It was an ocean. The Arctic Ocean.

And when Darien finally spoke, his voice was a glacier.

"Did your _boyfriend_ tell you that?"

"Don't bring him into this," Lita warned, but Darien cut her off.

"No, tell me, Kino, what else did my best friend spill _my_ guts to you about? Did he tell you where I grew up? Did he tell you what happened to my parents? Come on, go right ahead, share with the class what Loose-Lipped Lover Boy told you so I can know how hard to kick his ass."

"Speaking of asses, you're making one out of yourself," said Lita coolly. "I saw the papers on your desk, moron. Isn't it ironic that you told Motoki, whose ass you're so eager to kick, that you're going away, but you haven't told Serena, who you're so apparently determined to protect?"

Darien's eyes were hard chunks of sapphire; his lips moved to slap her with some doubtlessly sharp retort, but then suddenly his eyes slid past her, focusing on a point behind her shoulder.

She turned to follow his dismayed gaze –

And felt her stomach drop.

There stood Serena on the stairs.

L

"Rei Hino, where is your rosary?" Sister Leed stopped her in the chapel during morning mass.

Ino Umake stepped on Rei's foot as she pushed past her into the hallway. "Satan took it when they were together last night," she said under her breath. The girls around her all tittered.

Rei's fists clenched.

"Miss Hino, I asked you a question."

"Stop, you guys, didn't you hear her grandpa's dying?"

"That's what you get when you worship a tree instead of God!"

Laughter.

Blood.

Roaring in her ears.

"Miss Hino – REI HINO!"

L

Serena's books had fallen at her feet. One folder still remained in her slack hands, and a leaf of paper fluttered down from it like a dying dove.

"Darien, you're…" Lita saw Serena swallow and knew that it was tears that the little blonde had just forced back down. "You're going to school in America! That's so awesome!"

She beamed a smile brighter than any smile Lita had ever seen in her life. But her lips trembled and her eyes were too shiny.

Lita flicked a glance at Darien. All color had fled from his face, and if she hadn't been so concerned for Serena she might have laughed in his face. _Serves the bastard right for keeping this from her._ As it was, she merely swept past him and reached through the stair railing to pick up Serena's dropped things.

Serena started as though from a spell as Lita nudged her ankle with a textbook. "Oh! Sorry – Lita – oh, you don't have to do that, I've got them, sorry – " She took the book and fell to her knees, quickly scooping up her things. She held them tight against her chest, almost as though shielding herself. Her eyes looked anywhere but at Darien, though she still wore that very bright smile.

She took a step down, but must have missed the step, for suddenly she was tumbling head over heels down the staircase with a series of ominous thunks.

Darien was at the foot of the stairs in a blink, just in time to catch Serena two stairs from the bottom. Lita rushed forward, elbowing Darien back, but he turned a look of pure venom on her. She flinched away despite herself. Then she bashed herself for giving in to that son of a (CENSORED).

"Are you okay, Serena?" she demanded before Shields could.

If Serena had been an anime character, there would have been stars dancing around her head and her eyes would have been swirling. She didn't answer Lita's question, apparently trying to reinflate her lungs. Her eyes were wide and frightened.

Darien had a hand placed against her neck and was breathing calmly while he stared straight at her – in, out, in out. It seemed to help; her shell-shocked eyes focused on him and she began breathing again, in time with his inhalations and exhalations.

At last, Darien stopped breathing like that and returned to normal. "Are you okay?" he repeated Lita's question.

"I – I - I – " Serena made several attempts to speak before getting it right. She gave them a shaky smile. "I - I think so?"

Darien let out an equally shaky breath. His hand snaked up from the side of her neck to the base of her neck, tangling in her damp hair as though reassuring himself she was still there. Then he suddenly seemed to realize what he was doing and snatched his hand back. It took place in an instant, so that Lita didn't even see it and Serena wondered if she'd only imagined it.

A flush rose in her cheeks, and in Darien's as well. But then, even as he stared back at her, the color drained again from her face leaving it pale as flour. Her eyes fell from his and darted around, as though trying to look at anything but him.

Lita snatched the opportunity. Shoving past Darien, she slung Serena's arm over her shoulders and lifted her to her feet. She led Serena down the stairs and shot an icy glare over her shoulder at Darien.

"You missed your cue to leave."

At this, Serena's head snapped up. "Lita?"

"Shields was just leaving," Lita answered loudly. She sent Darien another poisoned glare. "What are you waiting for, a kiss goodbye?"

Serena stepped away from Lita. "Why is Darien leaving?" she asked, but directed the question at Darien himself.

"I'm not," said Darien. "I'm staying here." His eyes bored into Serena with an intensity that spoke of more than just the present.

"You're not going to America?" she breathed, disbelief shielding her hope.

Darien shook his head. "No."

"But – why not?" Serena couldn't believe she was arguing with him about it, what would she do if he DID go but he had to take this opportunity it was huge it was once in a lifetime he DESERVED it but oh she didn't want him to leave –

It was now Darien's turn to avoid her eyes. "It's…too early," he said. "I still have a year of high school left to go."

"Oh, like you don't already have all the credits you need," countered Serena, a little sardonically.

"Maybe I don't want to leave my friends," said Darien.

Serena's mouth opened. It closed. She looked surprised. And teary.

This gave Darien a chance to look at Kino. "Maybe next time you'll get the whole story before you start spreading rumors."

Lita stared back unabashed. "It doesn't matter to me if you're in America or Japan, you're not staying near Serena."

"What?" Serena's eyebrows flew up. "Where does that come from?"

Darien cut in. "Lita believes that I'm the reason Sailor Venus has been pursuing you so rabidly."

Serena looked at her friend. "But Lita, Darien wasn't even there last night!"

Again Darien cut in before Lita could speak. "Neither of us know exactly what happened last night, Odango."

Lita speared Darien with an incredulous look. "You don't?"

"I felt Serena transform," Darien said. Lita's eyebrows furrowed, and she opened her mouth, so he hurriedly explained, "Serena and I can feel each other transform, we don't know how."

Lita's lips pursed. "Why don't I have that?"

"We don't know," Darien repeated. "But I followed the feeling and found Odango fighting Sailor Venus – speaking of which," he said, a little pride welling up in him, "you were running her in circles, Odango. She didn't know what to do."

"Thanks," said Serena sheepishly. "I really can't remember much of it, though."

"Well, you were still bleeding pretty heavily then – "

"Wait, you're getting ahead of me again!" Lita stopped them furiously. "Shields, shut up. Serena, start from the beginning. What were you doing out of the house alone in the first place."

"What were you thinking?" Darien demanded.

"If you don't shut up, I will MAKE you shut up," Lita warned an unimpressed Darien. "Let her talk."

Serena was biting her lip when they returned their attention to her. She also eyed them apprehensively. Darien could practically see the gears working in her head. "You won't like why I left…" A little iron entered her spine; she straightened a little. A confidence like the kind that had graced Sailor Moon's face last night shone out from Serena's now. "So I won't tell you," she decided. "You'll just have to trust my judgment."

Before they could explode on her, she continued quickly but calmly, "Suffice it to say that when I went back out onto the street, I ran into Sailor Venus."

"Well, that sounds casual," muttered Darien.

"No, I mean I actually ran into her." Serena bounced her hands off one another to demonstrate. "Like I usually run into you on the corner – BAM!"

"Okay, okay," Darien interrupted her. "Why didn't you run?"

"Well, I was going to," said Serena thoughtfully. "But then – well, I don't know, I thought that if I kept running away from her, I was never going to, you know, find common ground with her. Or at least find out why she hates me so much."

"She doesn't hate you, she hates HIM." Lita pointed at Darien.

Darien and Serena looked at her.

"She cornered me, hit me in the head with her chain twice, and threw me on the sidewalk," Serena said bluntly. "I'm pretty sure she hates me, Lita."

Lita fell silent, but the first fissures of uncertainty were crumbling her resolute expression. "Did she say anything to you?"

"I asked her why we were fighting with each other. I mean, I thought we were battling for the same thing…" Serena's voice trailed off. "But she says it isn't the Senshi's job to protect everyone from the Dark Kingdom. She said that if she had already found the princess, she would let the whole Dark Kingdom loose on the planet."

"Are – are you sure you weren't dreaming?" Lita still could not erase the earnestness of Mina at the mall from her memory, nor her incredible sadness. "Maybe hallucinating or something?"

Serena looked at Lita gently. She seemed to understand what she was thinking. "I wish I had been," she said. "It would have been one of my nicer nightmares."

Darien snickered a little at this, albeit bitterly.

"But…" Serena's hand drifted to her scarred temple again. "This wasn't a dream." She sighed. "Anyway, she hit me with her chain again, I transformed, and after that, we basically just fought. Oh!" She clapped her hands. "My new tiara turned into a sword for me! I like that thing! And I got to chop her chain up a bit, and then she used some other attacks on me – but I guess you were there by then?"

Darien nodded and took up the storytelling. "Her attacks just bounced off you – you were holding your brooch?" At Serena's nod, he continued. "And she got mad and disappeared. Then I came and brought you back home. The end."

"So she lied." Lita's words were inaudible to them, but they saw her fists clench at her sides. She stood abruptly. "I've got to go – for a second – I'll see you at school."

"Lita?" Serena rose in concern, but Darien caught her arm.

"Let her go," he said, watching Lita intently as she hurried out of the door. His eyes flicked to Serena. "She's dealing with something. She'll be okay."

Serena sank back into her chair again. "She feels connected to Mina. Maybe we shouldn't have told her."

Darien did not see how Lita could feel a connection to someone who had nearly killed her best friend on two separate occasions, but maybe it was a girl thing.

"Que sera, sera," he said. "If she likes Mina that much, she'll go join her. In which case she's not worth your time anyways."

Serena flicked a glance up at him. "You're surprisingly heartless for a guy who throws red roses around," she murmured.

Darien grunted. "A guy saves you from bleeding to death and you call him heartless. That's gratitude for you."

"I _am _grateful." Serena leaned forward and hugged him tightly. This time, he didn't even flinch at her proximity, which he decided must mean he was getting used to Serena's impulsive displays of affection.

Serena pulled back a little to look up at him. "You've saved my life two times in the past two days, you know that?"

"Well, three if you count your stair tumble, but who's counting?" Darien smirked down at her.

"Ha ha." Serena leaned agains him again. "Y'know, I'd like to save you for once."

"Well, sorry, Odango. Aside from Venus's whip, the only near-death experiences I've had are the ones caused by you."

"Nuh-uh!" Serena protested.

"Hmm, let's count them, shall we?" Darien tapped his fingers. "That poisoned pork bun at orientation, then the flying shoe incident, then when you told your dad I was your boyfriend so he'd chase me with his gun, then, of course, Spring Fling, and then that _other_ shoe incident – "

"Ah, those were the days." Serena sighed reminiscently. Inside, she thought of all the times Darien had saved her, and she was determined to give back – somehow.

"Yes, the attempted homicide heydays." Darien rolled his eyes. During their revolution, they spotted the clock. "Whoah!" He jumped up, and Serena nearly toppled to the floor.

"What?"

"It's nine o'clock!"

"OH MY GOD!"

L

"And here I thought the two of you had renounced your irresponsible ways." The principal sighed behind his desk. "I hadn't heard a peep of protest about either of you in such a long time. I must say, I really am disappointed – especially in you, Mr. Shields. I'm quite sure tardiness is not tolerated in American colleges."

"I'm sure it's not," agreed Darien solemnly. Serena swallowed a smile. Trips to the principal's office with Darien were always amusing. He could walk the principal like a dog.

"Ahem. Well." The principal coughed. "Of course you've sent your forms to Dr. Ludisae?"

"No, sir."

"Excellent, excellent," said the principal, straightening his papers before him. Then his head snapped up. "Wait! What?"

"I said, no, sir, I haven't sent Dr. Ludisae the forms," Darien enunciated clearly.

The smile had vanished from Serena's feelings. A cold knot was instead forming in her stomach. Darien really should go to America –

"B-but whyever not?" The principal sputtered. "How could you – Darien, this is an _extremely_ rare opportunity! How can I impress that on you enough? This is the FIRST time any student in Japan has EVER been offered this chance! Everything is being paid for, you'll be in a country with INFINITE opportunities for a young man of your talents, you'll be learning from the best – "

Darien would be lying if he said that he did not feel a twinge as he listened to the principal. To go to America, to be a student there – it had been his ultimate ambition in middle school. His walls had been plastered with posters of American colleges – Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Columbia. The dream had faded under the intense glare of Tuxedo Mask's arrival. But he had pored over Dr. Ludisae's brochures a dozen times by now, and the Yale campus was magical and beckoning in a way Tokyo University's would never be, and the classes he could take…they had things he'd never even heard of before. And over the summer he could get an internship anywhere he wanted –

All the while feeling those familiar tugs of Serena transforming? And not being able to rush to help her? What if he felt her slowly dying again, as he had felt her that first time Venus had hit her? He would be too far away to make any difference. How would he feel then? How would he live with himself? There were no classes at Yale to teach you how to live after you felt your superhero partner die because you weren't there for them.

He looked at the principal. "I have my reasons, sir."

The principal looked away from Darien. "Fine," he said. "But the both of you have detention today with Miss Lanai."

Darien and Serena both looked up in alarm. "Sir – "

"And that is FINAL!" The principal slammed his pen down. "Hopefully, Mr. Shields, you will use the time to reflect on and, if you're as smart as Dr. Ludisae believes you to be, reconsider your decision."

He picked up his pen again and began to write. Clearly, he wanted to hear no more from them.

Was there no winning? He gave up a chance to go to Yale so that he could protect Tokyo, for God's sake! But did anyone appreciate that? No, of course not.

With a huff, Darien shoved his chair back. As he and Serena exited the office, the bell rang. They broke into a run. The last thing they needed were MORE detentions.

L

_You were Jupiter, and you were my lieutenant and my best friend. My sister. I trusted you more than anyone._

A load of bull. That was all it had been. A big fat pile of crap. Oh, Mina had trusted her all right – trusted her to be stupid enough to buy her lies!

I trust you more than _anyone_, sis. Lie number one!

No, I won't hurt Serena unless she's with HIM. Numero dos!

Not even Luna and the other Senshi know this. Yeah, fat chance. They were probably the ones who told her what to say. And all that stuff about Endymion beign the princess and Darien being Endymion – whatever. That was probably a load of crock, too. The only girl Darien would kill was Rei or Mina herself. She couldn't believe she'd let herself get taken in by all that crock.

Worse than her self-contempt was how used she felt. How violated. All Venus had to do was use the word "sister" to make Lita believe her every word. Venus had reached into her and caressed her deepest, most sacred desire. Now that part of her that should have remained pure and bright felt dirty and polluted by the lies it had eagerly eaten.

It was a throwback to her middle school days, when she was naïve enough to believe the sweet nothings boys would whisper in her ear. The things she had let them do…

A square of paper landed on her desk. Lita's head jerked up; she stared at it as though it were a frog that had suddenly hopped onto her textbook. She glanced around but everyone, including Serena, was reading intently.

She unfolded the note.

_Are you okay?_

Lita recognized Serena's chubby letters and looked up. Serena now gazed worriedly back at her, mouthing the question that had been on the note.

She suddenly remembered something. The first time she'd ever seen Tuxedo Mask. She'd been in that alley, fighting with that guy, and Shields has jumped down to help her out. She'd taken care of it herself, but still, a sudden spring of awareness burbled up inside her. Shields had gone out of his way to defend her that night. A girl he didn't know. Would Venus have stopped for her? No. Would Serena? Most definitely. And so would Motoki. And so would Asanuma, and so would Buji, bless his little heart.

Lita suddenly realized that there was a whole line of protection surrounding her. A veritable Great Wall of China. How could she have been ignorant enough to think she wasn't part of a family? How could she sit at lunch everyday and not realize just how much she had? She had so, so much more than she had ever dared hope for.

She wrote back to Serena, _I'm great._ And she meant it.

L

"Sit down." Sister Loring was from England. She had the severity of a queen. Rei hated her.

"Do not make me ask you again, Rei."

Her proper way of speaking reminded Rei of Mina. She sat.

"Possession of a lighter on campus, assault on a fellow student using said lighter, and disrespect towards a teacher – I trust I need not tell you how many school rules you have broken?"

"This would be a really sucky school if I'd spent five years here and couldn't count, Sister."

"Please watch your language, Rei. You are in the presence of our Lord at all times."

"Then the Lord knows that Ino was talking shit about my grandfather."

"What did I tell you about language, Rei?" There was a definite edge in Sister Loring's voice now. "Witnesses said that your attack was unprovoked."

"Witnesses hate me," retorted Rei. ""But you know what, so do you, so why am I wasting my breath? Just give me my punishment and let's get this over with. If there is one ounce of Christian mercy in your Jesus-loving heart, you'll expel me."

"And you wonder why the other girls will not talk to you."

Rei's eyes flashed. She lunged to her feet. "I know EXACTLY why they don't talk to me. And even if I didn't, I wouldn't give a damn, because you know what? I don't have to put up with their shit, just like I don't have to put up with _yours_."

"Do not walk out that door, Rei!"

Rei didn't just walk out of it, she slammed it behind her.

Sister Loring bolted up and ran after her, yanking the door open. "Rei, if you insist on leaving, give me that lighter first – "

Rei spun around, and she was smiling. "But Sister, I didn't _use_ a lighter."

Sister Loring's brows furrowed.

Rei's smirk grew wider. "The fire came from Satan."

L

Darien had, as usual, beaten Serena to the numbers. So had Asanuma, and he remembered his memo to self yesterday: Ask Asanuma about Miss Lanai.

"Hey, Asanuma." He crossed over to Asanuma's number. "What'd Miss Lanai come out here for yesterday?"

"Oh, that?" Asanuma had found a piece of gravel and was drawing in the asphalt idly with it. "She found someone who wanted to buy one of the things I did in class."

"Whoah." Darien's eyebrows rose of their own volition. He hadn't expected that. Of course, his instinct was to be suspicious of anything Miss Lanai did, but Asanuma would probably go off on him like grenade if he said anything. But he could believe that someone wanted to buy Asanuma's work. That red painting, though highly disturbing (much like the paintings of Lanai herself) had shown some serious talent. "That's awesome, man. Who bought it?"

Asanuma shrugged off both Darien's praise and his question but grinned a little. "Oh, some person."

"Gee, think you could curb your enthusiasm a little?" Darien's voice was wry. Asanuma's grin turned sheepish. "How much did you get for it?"

"A lot, actually. More than enough to rent a huge limo to take me, myself, and I to prom. Oh, and eat a romantic candle-lit Italian dinner before that."

Darien made a stab at being sympathetic. He was a guy, so it didn't work very well. "You could go with someone other than Rei, you know. There's all those freshmen who like you."

Asanuma's smile grew ever more sardonic. "Unlike you, Darien, I am not a cradle robber."

That hit Darien's sensitive chord. "For God's sake!" he snapped. "For the last time, Serena's only a year younger than us!"

Asanuma's eyes widened. "So you finally admit it!" He whooped gleefully and plunged his hand down his shirt.

Sound shocking? Definitely. Darien stared at Asanuma in a mixture of horror and fascination as the blonde rooted around in his own shirt. _So this is what happens when hormones get too bottled up_.

After minutes of strange-looking action, Asanuma finally yanked something out of his shirt. It was square and black.

"I knew wearing this thing would pay off someday!" he exclaimed triumphantly. He popped it open, and it spat a cassette tape into his hand. "This baby's gonna make me thousands! What should I call it – Darien's Scorching Love Confession? Maybe I should incorporate your couple name – Serien. No, Darena sounds better, don't you think?"

"What would sound good to me is the sound of my fist breaking your nose," Darien muttered. He thrust out a hand. "Fork it over."

"Over my dead body!" Asanuma stuffed the cassette back down his shirt. "There. Reach for it there, if you dare, Dare-Bear!"

"I'm NOT reaching down your shirt. You'd enjoy it too much." Darien stuffed his hands in his pockets, then turned to squint at the locker room. "WHERE is Odango?"

"What an intense glare!" Asanuma followed Darien's gaze. "You know, Dare, if you keep staring at the girls' locker room like that, people are gonna start spreading word that you're a pervert." He grinned. "Namely, me."

"And people will tell you that it takes one to know one."

"Touché," Asanuma conceded. "Why's Serena taking so long?"

"How should I know?"

"Because you stalk her."

"I don't stalk her!"

"Fine, you glue yourself to her side 24/7." Asanuma rolled his eyes. "Speaking of which, take a little friendly advice from a friend – "

"Who else would _friendly_ advice come from?" Darien muttered.

" – you might want to give her some space."

_This _got Darien to look away from the locker room.

"I mean," elucidated Asanuma under Darien's sharp gaze, "I know how tight you guys are and everything. But you've been, like, ALWAYS THERE these past couple weeks. And yeah, I know Serena's a people person and all, but haven't you noticed she's a little…not herself lately?"

Darien nodded jerkily. Of course Serena wasn't herself; she was worried about saving the world, dying, and going to hell!

"Maybe something else is causing it, I don't know." Asanuma held up his hands in a peace gesture. "But I think when people are constantly around other people without any alone time, they start losing sight of who they are. You need a little mirror time, you know? To look at who you are, think about what you're doing."

Darien's expression was unreadable. Asanuma knew this meant he had gotten through to him a little.

"Look, Darien," he said. "You of all people know that when Serena's around people, all her thoughts are concentrated on them. On making sure they're not sad, on finding ways to make them happy. Not on herself. Yeah, that's what makes Serena who she is. But I think that at the same time it makes her lose sight of what SHE wants. And that's one of the most defining features of a person, what they want. It's what drives them to do the things they do."

He paused and looked at Darien.

Darien met his eyes thoughtfully. "Go on," he said. "I'm listening."

Asanuma sighed in relief. "Well, anyway, you and Lita have been kind of crowding her lately. Not out of any ill intentions, but just because you're both so protective of her. The problem is, I think that you guys constantly being there is making Serena lose focus of herself. No offense, but you're both kind of needy."

Darien grimaced a little. He'd never really thought of it that way before. He and Lita were similar in a lot of ways – both orphans, both living on their own and not exactly social butterflies – it was probably a big chunk of the reason they didn't get along so well. Like poles of a magnet repel each other. But unlike him, she probably wouldn't react quite as peacefully if Asanuma called her "needy" to her face.

"So, anyways," Asanuma concluded, "All that tiem you guys are with her, Serena puts all her energy and thoughts toward you guys, and doesn't have that time to ruminate on herself. Which means she doesn't know herself well enough anymore to know what she wants. Which means she doesn't have a motivation." He grinned a litte. "Of course, this is all just theoretical."

"Of course." Darien rolled his eyes, trying to appear nonchalant, but inside he was bothered. Why didn't he ever notice these things? He was smart! He had gotten a scholarship to an Ivy League American university! But somehow he never noticed these obvious things going on right in front of his face until his friends pointed them out to him. It made him feel insignificant and stupid and socially inept. The way he had always felt at the orphanage.

But he had learned nothing there if not how to cover those feelings up.

"First Motoki, now you," he said lightly. "Since when did you two become such psychology majors?"

"Motoki's a bartender," said Asanuma. "Psychology is a prerequisite. Me, I just picked some stuff up from moping."

Darien lifted an eyebrow in wordless inquiry.

"You'd be surprised how observant mopers are," Asanuma told him. "It's like you've put your life on hold. But instead of that annoying elevator music, you're listening to enraged punk rock." He shrugged. "And eavesdropping on other people's conversations. You keep trying to find a similarity to your situations in other people's lives so you can find what you did wrong…anyways, don't worry, I'm not turning into Dr. Laura."

He grinned at Darien. But it was still hollow; Darien could sense it as though it were his own; there was a Grand Canyon-sized chasm gaping within Asanuma.

But he wasn't hiding in it anymore. He was fighting hard to climb back out of it.

"Anyways!" Asanuma clapped his hands. "Where IS that Serena?"

"That's the million-dollar question, Itto!"

Darien and Asanuma both turned at the bark. Coach Etoukou bore down on them, clipboard in one hand and feathery pink pen in the other. "Tsukino stayed home without you, Shields?"

Darien missed the jab, his head snapping toward the locker rooms again. "She's still not here – ?"

"She wasn't in the locker room," offered one of the girls.

"Yeah, she was, I saw her," offered another. "But before the bell rang. I haven't seen her since then. Maybe she fell asleep!" A batch of giggles broke out.

Darien was barely listening. His feet had already catapulted him into motion; he pounded towards the locker room, only barely remembering to slow down enough that he didn't blur. His hand skimmed the air as he ran, groping blindly for the rope. Maybe it was his panic, but he couldn't find it – there was a feeling like a strand of cobweb brushing his arm, but that surely wasn't it –

"Serena!" he yelled, skidding to a stop in the girls' locker room. Peripherally, he noted that it was the mirror image of the boys', except that the girls had stalls to change in. "ODANGO!"

"Here! I'm here!" He heard scrabbling, then a stall door swung open. His heart nearly dropped in relief. "Sorry – _Darien_?"

Darien nodded, still recovering from the fright he'd had – Sailor Venus could have teleported in here – so could Zoicite, or that other general, or any of the youma – _she's not safe anywhere, anywhere _– then slowly, enough adrenaline cleared from his brain that he realized that he was standing _in the girls' locker room._

"Oh," he said. "Oh. I'll – "

"Get out!" Serena finished for him, her face dangerously red.

He nodded vigorously and pivoted, then fled the locker room even faster than he's raced into it.

"Shields – I oughta – you – " Coach was sputtered when Darien emerged from that taboo place. The whole class gaped like a school of fish – except for Asanuma, who was mouthing, "Sweeeeeeeeeet!"

The blonde jumped forward. "Do not punish Dare-Bear, Etoukou-sama!" he exclaimed. "For he is a pioneer to a frontier where none of us have ever dared to set foot before! He should be venerated, not decapitated!"

"We – we – uh – we're going to be doing relays again this week," Coach managed numbly. Dare-bear was apparently out of the frying pan for now. "Get a move on, people, or I won't give you time for showers at the end – "

Darien started to follow, then belatedly realized what those marks on Serena's face had been. Automatically he turned back to wait for her, but Asanuma caught his arm.

He started to justify the need to ambush her. "She was crying – "

"And what are you going to do? Make her tell you why?" Asanuma shook his head. "_She_ probably doesn't even know. You can't rationalize tears, Darien. They come, they rinse you off, they go. If people could make sense of what they were crying about, they wouldn't need to cry!"

And there was that dumb feeling again. Darien tried to shake it off with levity once more. "When did you turn into Mr. Miyagi?"

Asanuma tapped his eye. "I told you, Dare-Bear. Watching."

"Watching your mom's chick flicks, you mean," Darien muttered.

L

Serena had never been so grateful for separate changing stalls in her life. She raced into the locker room, then straight into a stall, throwing it shut behind her and locking it. Then she slid down to the floor with her back against the door.

Darien had to go to that school in America. He _had _to.

But he couldn't leave. He _couldn't_!

All morning – on the way to school, waiting for the principal to see them, while the principal talked about all the opportunities Darien would have – her mind had inflated its shock absorbers, blocking out any thoughts of what Darien leaving would be like but now, as girls ran screaming around in the locker rooms, racing each other to the mirrors and gossiping as they laced up their tennis shoes, that resolve was leaking out of her like air, and her mind opened slowly, flinchingly, to what if.

In the morning she would wake up – probably late – and race to school without running into anyone in the street. If she had forgotten to brush her hair, no one would tell her because he wouldn't be there to make fun of it. Much less to walk with her and help her study and give her a rose for each right answer, nor to make fun of her favorite boy band on the radio as they drove to school.

And when she got to school, she'd walk to class on her own. She'd trip over stuff a lot more; he wouldn't be there to warn her when there was a stray, slippery piece fo paper in her path. P.E. would certainly be lonely, too – she could still remember that cold, lonely class she'd spent when they were fighting for real and pretending the other didn't exist. That had been a whole two hours of wearing a smile so huge and fake that her cheeks had ached for an hour afterwards. Not to mention that it had passed more slowly than a train of slugs.

Lunch – she suddenly realized that she had only been eating lunch with Darien and Motoki and Numa for weeks instead of months or years. Only two months ago she had eaten lunch nowhere near Darien, but she couldn't for the life of her remember what she had done during those lunchtimes. Talked with Ami sometimes, but more often Ami was studying at lunch. And before that she had eaten with Molly and the girls…she could see herself, in her mind's eye, waving her arms wildly around as she talked about things that now she couldn't even remember. Pop stars? Movies? How much she wanted the new skirt she'd seen at the mall but her mom wouldn't buy it for her?

She felt contempt as she watched herself in her mind's eye. How childish she'd been. Shallow like a puddle.

An yet – what she did at lunch now, it wasn't any more mature. She sprayed food all over Asanuma and Darien and made fun of Lita and Motoki. But it felt complete. It felt like family. There was never the feeling of being looked down on, of being left out the way she had sometimes felt during lunches with Molly and her other friends.

Their family broke sometimes, like when Asanuma had left them for a while, but they were something whole, something she was an integral part of.

If Darien left, there would be a gaping hole in that whole, though. A silence in the conversation when a sarcastic comment was called for but he wasn't there to give it. A break in the circle where they sat.

The image painted itself in her mind's eye: the four of them sitting beneath the shade of the oak tree. Motoki and Lita would be together, a couple, and then there would be Asanuma and her. Motoki and Lita would inevitably pair off sometime, and then Asanuma would get bored with only a girl to talk to at lunch. He'd leave eventually to sit with someone else. And then they would have splintered.

Silent tears dripped down her nose. Her backpack sat in her arms, and she hugged it tight as she stared into the future. After school, she'd be late because no one had woken her, so she'd have detention. With no one to endure Coach with – or suppose Miss Lanai requested her again?

Her heart quailed. Miss Lanai – or, for that matter, the Senshi, or the Dark Kingdom – what would she do against them on her own? How many times over would she be dead already if Tuxedo Mask hadn't been there to snatch her out of death's hands?

The realization hit her: she was too dependent on Darien. She had become _way_ too dependent on him. When she first became Sailor Moon, she had dusted youma without him even showing up, but now a single battle didn't go by that he had to save her in. And now she couldn't even handle regular facets of life without him –

A new thought entered the mix – suppose he was staying because of how dependent she was on him? Suppose he was staying out of guilt? Suppose he was staying for _her_?

Her empty stomach wrung itself. That was exactly what he was doing! She had seen the hunger in his eyes as the principal extolled the virtues of Yale, the hopeful gleam that had darkened when his eyes fell on her. He felt obligated to stay and take care of her.

Well, she wouldn't let him! Serena scrambled to her feet and scrubbed her wet cheeks with the heel of her hand. This was her chance to pay him back for all he'd done for her! She would show him she could take care of herself and she would make him to go to Yale!

That was when she heard the voice calling her name. And suddenly it registered that the rest of the locker room was silent and still.

"I'm here, I'm here!" She called, hastily ripping off her uniform and hopping into her gym clothes. She lost her balance as she climbed into her skort one-footed and fell against the stall door. "Ow – sorry – _Darien_?"

He stared at her.

She couldn't believe he'd come into the girls' locker room! What was he thinking?

"Oh," he said. "Oh. I'll – "

"Get out!" She screeched. There was a line that couldn't be crossed, and he had crossed it.

Darien nodded, almost looking scared, and fled.

Serena glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Red anger burned bright in her face, and she felt like she was at least two inches taller.

She broke into a wide grin at her reflection and felt like herself again.

L

Coach put her in a group with Asanuma, Darien, and Tonami, one of Numa's senior friends. Asanuma kicked off with the baton, handed it off to Tonami, who passed it to Darien, and Serena pounded it to the finish line – usually at least two meters ahead of the next teams. This was her first chance to prove to Darien she didn't need him to stay, and she tore into it. Running fast, she figured, would prove that she was speedy enough to evade youma and Senshi.

She couldn't tell if he noticed or not. But he didn't demand to know why she had been crying, which was something she had been sure he would do. Perhaps that was a sign – though of what, she had no idea.

L

"Geeze, move it, loser!'

A shoulder slammed into Ami. She stumbled forward, her forehead banging into the edge of her locker door. There was a mirror left in it by its last tenant, and as she warily lifted her head again, she saw her reflection in it. She looked like a ghost. Veins traced pale spiderwebs beneath her wan skin, and deep hollows nestled beneath her reddened eyes.

But she had grown used to that. What her bloodshot gaze focused on was the reflection of the boy behind her, the imbecilic organism of testosterone swaggering down the hallway and bending now to the water fountain –

Her eyes narrowed.

– sticking his mouth against a stream of water that was suddenly frozen. His lips adhered to it and would not peel off. His eyes bulged as he realized his predicament.

Ami flinched. She turned, with the most energy she'd shown all week, to look straight on at the boy now struggling to remove his lips from the ice without ripping the flesh off them. Already, he had failed: there was a trickle of red dripping down the metal.

Ami turned slowly back to her locker.

The water had turned to ice. Inexplicably. What could cause the water to change phases so instantaneously?

Only her. It must have been her.

Somehow.

She should feel some sense of vindication. Some thrill. Pride.

Where was it?

She looked for it. Inside her.

She couldn't find it.

L

Rei yanked her locker open. Elation crackled cheerily within her. She was leaving. She was never coming back to this place. Ever. And the look on Sister Loring's face when she told her Satan had made that fire –

Something fluttered out of the folders she was stuffing into her backpack. It landed at her feet. She glared at it, suspecting something foul from one of Ino's friends. It wouldn't be her first hate letter or death threat.

But there was a Naruto sticker sealing the envelope shut. Who would seal a death threat with a Naruto sticker? Who at this school even liked Naruto? The only reason she even knew it existed was because she heard Asanuma exuberantly reliving the events of one episode with Serena…

Rei picked up the envelope. She peeled the sticker carefully away without letting it rip, and slid out the envelope's contents.

A gasp of air exited her lips. Sparkle entered her eyes.

"Oh my God…" she whispered. A laugh squeezed its way out of her throat. Then another, and another, until ribbons of laughter floated around her.

She waltzed the hell out of that school, feeling as pretty as a princess.

L

"So. Didja find your dress last night, Leets?" Motoki eased himself down onto the grass.

Lita continued to stare intently at the oak tree, chewing slowly.

Motoki hesitated, then waved a hand in front of her face. "Lita?"

"Huh – oh!" Lita's eyes blinked and refocused on him. "Hey, Toki."

"Hey yourself. What's got you thinking so hard?"

Lita fiddled with one of her rose earrings. "Just…stuff."

Motoki groaned. She looked over at him in concern. "What's wrong?"

"You!" Motoki exclaimed. Lita frowned, and he cut her off with a look. "All of you! Everyone's being so quiet, and thoughtful – Asanuma I can understand because he's moping over Rei, and maybe Serena and Darien I can understand, too, because they always act weird together, but not you, too, Lita!" He finished with a whimper, laying his head on her shoulder pathetically.

This brought a smile to Lita's face. She lifted her hand, patting Motoki's soft hair. "Oh, life's so hard for you, you poor baby."

"I KNOW." Motoki turned his head to look up at her and stick out his lower lip. "I think a kiss would make me feel better."

"Not now!" Lita pushed him away frantically. "I just ate garlic bread, Motoki!"

"Then I'll eat some salt and vinegar chips and we'll be even." Motoki laughed and opened his lunch. Lita rolled her eyes at him.

"Here." Motoki tossed a huge muffin at her. "For you."

Lita looked down at it, turning it over in her lap. It was a huge sort of muffin, the kind where the top spilled over the sides by about ten centimeters. And it was banana-nut, her favorite.

She looked up to see Motoki watching her hopefully. As she stared at him, he leaned over and kissed her.

He drew back. "Feeling any better?"

He was so good.

"Much," Lita told him.

He put his arm aroudn her shoulders, and she leaned against him, and they chewed together in content silence. Lita couldn't remember ever being happier. And it was strange, because she knew it didn't make sense to be happy when there were youma running around and Mina had lied to her and was actually still gunning for her best friend –

"That was SO AWESOME!"

"What were you thinking?"

"Shut up, Dare-Bear, she was defending the weak – "

"You could have been suspended! What if you'd been suspended, Serena?"

"It wasn't her fault, Sugaru-san told me the girl went after Serena-chan – "

"So you could have called for help! Me, or a coach! Have you missed all those lectures they give about bullies – "

"I'm not a baby, Darien, I think I'm capable of dealing with a teenage girl – "

Darien snorted as though to remind her of certain other teenage girls she had been unable to deal with, and Lita saw Serena flush angrily.

"Whoah, whoah," Lita heard Motoki say. "Hey! What happened?"

"Serena happened, that's what," Asanuma informed him proudly, throwing himself onto the grass.

Darin let out a dissatisfied "hmph" as he folded himself on the grass, though he deliberately left space beside him for Serena to sit down. Serena, however, passed over it without a word and settled next to Asanuma.

Lita cracked her knuckles loudly. "What girl went after Serena? Not Mina?"

"NO!" Serena and Darien were both quick to shout. They exchanged glares and looked away from each other.

"All I saw was some half undressed girl following Serena-chan out of the locker room cussing at her," Asanuma volunteered. "Then she shoved her. Serena just kept walking, so the girl shoved her again. Then Serena, like, grabbed her hand and spun around and _hugged_ her. She whispered something in her ear, then let her go."

"Sounds sordid," said Motoki.

Darien grunted. Serena blithely unwrapped her lunch.

"And the girl didn't do anything, just walked away," Asanuma finished after glaring at Motoki. "What _did_ you say to her, Serena-chan?"

"None of your business, Numa-chan," Serena said cheerfully.

"She doesn't want to tell," Asanuma raised his eyebrows with a knowing expression. "That means she said something she's afraid to have been caught saying."

Serena smiled and took a bit of her sandwich.

"No, really?" Asanuma gasped. 'Did you threaten her, Serena-chan?"

Serena rolled her eyes. "No, of course not."

"Then what did you _say_?" Asanuma wailed.

"More importantly, why was she shoving you?" demanded Lita angrily.

"She was going to kick a freshman out of a changing stall so she could get dressed," explained Serena. "I told her to wait her turn. She got mad and followed me outside." She smiled a little. "Not such a good idea since she had already taken her shirt off. But I alerted her to her oversight."

Asanuma shot a sly glance at Motoki and patted the pocket where he kept his digital camera. Motoki laughed but quickly turned it into a cough. Lita slapped him distractedly on the back, still steaming over the discovery of yet another Serena predator.

"Well," said Motoki when he was finished fake-coughing, "I'm proud of you, Serena. "You stood up for what was right at the risk of your own pain and black eye. Good job."

"Don't encourage her," Darien spoke up at last. "What if that girl had seriously hurt her?"

"Then she would have had all four of us fighting for her throat," Motoki said easily. "And probably a good portion of the school's population as well."

"Serena could have taken her," Asanuma said, trading one of his sprinkled jelly rolls for one of Serena's chocolate cupcakes. At her warning growl, he said, "Honestly, Serena-chan, I'm just helping you eat more healthily – that jelly roll has FRUIT in it."

"Chocolate's a fruit," Serena said, switching the jelly roll with one of Lita's toothpicked squids. "It grows on trees, doesn't it?"

Roars of laughter filled the air. Even Darien's lips lifted a tad.

As they died down, clutching their sides, a howl was heard. "No! Please, give that back, Gaioh-san!"

Serena frowned seriously and stood up. "I'll be right back."

"Oh, for the love of…" Darien rose quickly and headed after her.

"I've got a good feeling about this," said Asanuma, and followed them both, pulling out his camera as he went.

Lita and Motoki sat for a moment. Then –

"I'm gonna go watch too," they said simultaneously. They looked at each other and laughed, then ran after the others.

L

"Please give it back, Gaioh-san!" Melvin was pleading in a quavering voice. "I made that whole meal for my girlfriend! It's our anniversary!"

If he had expected sympathy from tall, burly football player Naji Gaioh, he was horribly mistaken. Gaioh laughed and held the scrumptious lunch higher out of Melvin's jumping reach.

"Hey!" Serena planted her hands on her hips as she skidded to a stop in the grass in front of Gaioh. Her arms twitched up, wanting to make her usual Sailor Moon gestures, but she forced them back down. Yet the speech still spilled out. "Girls find boys who actually remember anniversaries super, super hot. Especially when they cook food for said anniversary. In the name of hot boys everywhere, for trying to ruin a happy couple's special day, I will punish you!"  
"Ix-nay on the eech-spay," Darien muttered to her. She glanced over in surprise, then consternation. He wasn't supposed to FOLLOW her! He was supposed to just watch and see how she could fight on her own!

Gaioh laughed. "Your girlfriend's got a big mouth, Shields."

"I'M NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND!" Serena thundered and brought her foot – CRACK – down on Gaioh's toes. Gaioh howled and grabbed his foot. Melvin's lunch dropped – and Serena caught it deftly, looking smug.

She handed it to Melvin, then stabbed Gaioh's barrel-like chest with her finger. "You! Pack your own lunch from now on! What if Melvin's lunch contained something you were allergic to and you didn't know it? You could have DIED!"

Gaioh blinked down at her, sputtering. Clearly he'd never thought of this before. Nor had Darien, but that was beside the point.

"I – I – "

"And FURTHERMORE!" Serena pushed her figner deeper. "How are you going to find a girlfriend if you can't cook? Girls want a man who knows his way around a kitchen, Gaioh!"

"Really?" Gaioh said in interest.

Serena removed her finger. "Really." She brushed her hands off. "Now go run along and sign up for Home Ec."

She turned back to look at Darien as Gaioh lumbered away. She was ready to smirk at his awed and admiring expression – which, she was disappointed to discover, eh was not wearing. However, there were applause and catcalls coming from behind him.

"Wooh! Go, Sailor Serena!"

"Hey, if I learn how to cook will you date me?"

"Ding dong, the Giaoh's dead, the Gaioh's dead…"

Serena flushed and smiled in all the praise. A hand grabbed her own: Asanuma, pumping it up in the air like a boxing referee and roaring in a weird accent, "And Tsukino wins the match!"

"Well, doesn't someone have a hero complex," said a voice in her ear. Serena looked up to see Lita smiling amusedly at her. "Are you trying to give Shields an aneurysm? If you are, I totally condone it, but…"

Serena looked over at Darien as they headed back to the oak tree and their lunches. His eyebrows had drawn together, and his eyes flicked around tensely.

When they reached the tree, all of their lunches were swarming with ants except Darien's. Amid the exclamations of "No! I never got to eat the chocolate cupcake!" and "I bet they didn't go for Dare-Bear's because it's so disgustingly healthy" and "Hey, Lita, try it, the ant tastes surprisingly meaty," and "Gross! Get away from me, Motoki!" Darien drew Serena aside.

"Could you have come any closer to blowing your cover?" he said lowly. He was standing very close to her so that no one would hear.

Serena flushed. It was true, she had nearly blown it – "But people just thought I was copying Sailor Moon! They didn't actually think I was her!"

"Not yet, but sooner or later someone's gonna make the connection. The only girl in Minato ward with blonde hair, the only one who wears said hair in that style, has blue eyes and does a perfect impersonation of Sailor Moon – "

"Okay! I'll be more careful next time!" Serena cried, frustrated. Now he thought she was even less capable of taking care of herself than ever – but now she resented him for thinking it instead of just feeling guilty that he worried about her. "Happy?"

"Odango, wait, I didn't mean it like that – "

But Serena had already stomped away from him and was now wailing in distress over her ant-covered lunch.

L

There was one good thing about this day, at least, Ami told herself as she dragged herself out of the juku building. Mina had changed the location for today's meeting from the temple to somewhere closer to the juku building, which meant a shorter walk for Ami.

This was small consolation for her, though, as Senshi meetings with the explosive combination of Luna, Rei, and Mina were pure torture. Mina had been trying to teach them more powerful attacks. Rei was flourishing; already she had three new attacks, but Ami was still struggling with her first. When she transformed, a cool wave of refreshment washed over like a glass of ice water, but trying to freeze things sapped all that coolness out of her and left her feverish and shaky. And then she had to detransform, which always left her feeling weaker, and go home and make something to eat and THEN begin her homework, both for school and juku.

Neither girl was transformed when Ami found them in the well-hidden clearing in the park. Rei's face was rosy, however , as though she'd been sitting in front of a warm fire. She clutched something in her hand, and when she saw Ami, she jumped to her feet.

"Finally!" she exclaimed. "Now I can share my news – look at this!" She waved a piece of paper at them.

"If it's not a letter from the princess telling us where she is, this shouldn't be eating up this important training time," said Mina, but Rei didn't listen to her.

"I found it in my locker this morning!" she said excitedly. "With this!" She held up another slip of paper, this one bright pink. "Read it!"

Ami took the paper tentatively, glancing at Mina. But the blonde was staring into space.

_Rei –_

_I'll be the one in the tie-dyed tux._

_Please come._

_Love,_

_Your secret admirer_

As Ami lowered the note, Rei held up a different slip of paper.

It's an Azabu prom ticket," she said, eyes bright. "Do you think it could be him, Ami?"

Mina was the one who responded. "That is from a boy?" she said sharply.

Rei snorted. "No, it's from a girl. Of course it's from a boy – it better be, anyway." She looked very fierce for a moment.

"You are allowing a boy to interfere with our mission to find the princess?" Mina's voice rose.

"No, I'm not letting it interfere!" Rei's voice slapped. "Besides, so what if I was? We've got lives, too, we can't revolve around the precious princess all the time!"

"Oh, yes you can!" Mina stepped close to Rei, leaning over her. "What else do you think you were reborn for? So you could frolic with Terrans? No! You were reborn specifically to find the princess and guard her. Our lives, our bodies, our souls, belong to her."

Rei pushed Mina away from her. "Stop being so dramatic."

"Those aren't dramatics. It's the literal truth." Mina grasped Rei's arm. "We were born solely for the princess, and since we swore our allegiance to her on the Silver Crystal, our souls have been bound to hers. Where she goes, we go. Have you not ever wondered how Luna was sure the princess was in Japan? Why all the Senshi live here, instead of being scattered across the seven continents, as chance would have dictated? It is because where the princess is, the Senshi are, and where the Senshi are, the princess is. We are hers, Mars. Do not think of attaching yourself to any other being, for I promise you it will lead to nothing but your own ruin."

Rei was stubborn as a donkey, but not even she could withstand the intensity that burned within Mina's eyes. Her heart quailed within her. But…

"I just want to be loved." The pleading whisper slipped from her lips without her permission. When she realized what she'd said, she turned red and angry.

"The princess loves you, Mars," Mina told her.

Rei lashed out, her own mortification sharpening her arrows. "Well, the princess isn't here, is she? And no one else loves me, so I'm _going_ to the prom. At least there someone loves me!" She stalked away.

It was strange how Rei, who was about as different from Ami as a human being could be, nursed within her the exact same emotion as Ami. _I just want to be loved._ Amazing how she, who knew perhaps half of the words in Ami's pendantic vocabulary, could still express in so few words what Ami had never been able to translate into a verbal language. _And no one else loves me_.

It made Ami feel insignificant. As though she could walk back and forth to the ocean all day getting water, but her bowl would never get full. The water all just poured back out through the holes. She was a human sieve. She wasn't worth loving. She could fool herself all she wanted, saying it was just her mother being too busy to love her, her father being too detached from the world to love her, Jaime and Veronica being too spoiled and preppy to love her, Rei being too emotionally damaged to love her, Mina too unfamiliar to love her, but not even BOYS liked her. Why did someone like Rei, who went out of her way to say something witchy and scathing to every male she met, have someone who liked her, while Ami, who tried to talk nicely to people and certainly never insulted anyone, had no one?

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair!

"Come one, get up." Mina's sharp voice grabbed Ami's attention as her hand grabbed her arm. "Just as well that she left, that gives us time to focus on your attacks."

_No!_ Ami wanted to shout. _Just let me be! Just let me sit…_

Instead she stood up. Let Mina shout her into defensive stances. Let Mina punch her and kick her. Let Mina yell at her for not trying to block. Let Mina wipe away the blood that trickled down her lip. Let her pitiful freezing bubbles trickle from her mouth and take her dwindling energy with them.

Let herself cry when she got home.

L

Lita would not have woken up that night if it had not been for the thunderstorm. It wasn't a particularly loud storm; there were only a few muffled thunderclaps and the subdued pattering of the rain. But since her first transformation in Sailor Jupiter, a new awareness had crackled to life within her, and when the first fork of lightning lanced down, her eyelids flew open as though electrified.

She was distracted from the exquisite sensation of the crackling lightning, however, by the shape sitting on Serena's bed.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded in a harsh whisper.

"Shh," Darien replied.

"Oh no you don't." Lita threw off her blanket and got to her feet. "This is the second night in a row you've been close to a sleeping Serena without a chaperone. Don't tell me Venus attacked her again."

Without waiting for him to answer, she leaned over and peered down at Serena. She expected to see a perfectly serene, slumbering face, so her eyebrows flew up when she found perspiration gleaming on Serena's forehead and a twisted expression of pain upon her face.

Lita took a step back. "What did you do to her?"

The huddled blonde let out a sharp little cry. Her body twisted. Darien's hand rubbed soothing circles on her shoulder. She stilled.

"Remember I told you Serena needs more than just help fighting youma and the other Senshi?" Darien spoke quietly. Lita nodded. "This is one of those things. She has dreams."

"What's that got to do with you?"

He brushed aside her surliness. "She usually wakes up. But then she can never get back to sleep. If I can keep her from waking up in the middle, she can usually get through the rest of the night without trouble."

Lita crossed her arms, studying him skeptically.

He sighed, still rubbing Serena's back though the strain had melted from her features. "If you don't believe me, just stay up tomorrow night and watch."

Lita took him up on his "invitation." She stayed up in the kitchen when Serena headed up to bed, using the excuse that she felt like doing some crosswords. She sat and did just that, nursing a cola and studiously ignoring Darien in the living room until she was sure Serena would be asleep. Then she climbed upstairs with her drink and settled down on Serena's vanity stool to wait.

It came sometime around two. It started as labored breathing, heightened to mumbles with tossing under her sheets, escalated to kicking and crying out.

"Are you going to let her go on like that?" Shields' voice came from the doorway. He was leaning against the doorjamb and watching the scene.

"_Endymion_!"

Lita froze. Shock rippled through her. Slowly, she turned back towards Serena. She didn't even notice Darien's sound of impatience as he brushed past her to calm the thrashing Serena down.

She licked her lips, watching him smooth back blonde bangs. "Does she say that every night?"

Darien glanced down at her. He took in her pallor. Suspicion leaked into his expression. "Why?"

Lita forced herself to think. She didn't believe anything Mina had said anymore, but what if Darien _was _the reincarnation of the princess's killer?

"I've heard it before," she finally decided to say.

"Where? Who is he?" Darien's hand gripped her arm tightly. His eyes were intent, dark.

How did he know "Endymion" was a name? Much less that it had belonged to a male? Suspicious…?

"He _was_ the prince of Earth." Lita watched him carefully, but there was no twitch of recognition or alarm. "Mina told me. He was reincarnated here."

"_Who_?" Urgency.

"Why do you want to know?" If she could get him to talk, maybe he would blurt something out that could prove or disprove what Mina had said.

Darien released her arm, frowning. Clearly, he was thinking as hard as her about what to say.

At last, he began. "Serena's been having these dreams for a while. To the best of my knowledge, they've always involved her screaming out the name Endymion. Presumably, she's calling out to Endymion. As you can see, she always experiences…considerable pain when she's calling out to him. I'm concerned that Endymion is the one causing her the pain. If I know who he is, I can make him stop." He paused, glowering at something she could not see, then looked up and searched her face. "So I ask you again – who is he?"

"They don't know." Lita fought with herself. To tell or not to tell? His speech just now had been delivered with perfect innocence, but he had such a poker face. She decided to keep this one little piece of information to herself and reveal the rest. "But they want to. He was the one who killed the Moon Princess."

His dark eyebrows flew up. She clarified, "Back then, in the Silver Millennium, not now. He supposedly loved her, and when he got mortally wounded, didn't want to be without her, so he killed her to take her with him."

"He killed the princess." Darien rocked back. His face was that of a soldier who had just walked on a land mine and was now staring down at a suddenly legless abdomen.

He was talking to himself. He was totally out of it.

She looked away from him, and in doing so, her eyes landed on Serena. Who stared back at her, eyes glowing like moons in the darkness.

"Serena!" Lita jumped up and ran to her. Serena shook her head, one hand clamped over her mouth, and turned away from her. She forced herself up on one elbow and reached towards her nightstand with a hand that shook like a leaf in a storm. Her fingers hit the glass of water standing there and knocked it over.

Water splashed all over the floor. Serena stared at it, then let her eyes close slowly.

"Shh, Odango…" Darien's hand appeared, pulling Serena up gently against his chest. His hand vanished in thin air – it took a second for Lita to realize he was reaching into a Sub-Space Pocket – then reappeared with a bottle of fruit juice.

Serena swallowed several times, then slid her hand away from her mouth. She took long, shuddering gulps of the juice.

"Better?"

She nodded. With much more stable hands, she picked up her pillow and pressed her face into it for a moment. At last, she spoke. "We don't know he's bad."

She had been listening?

"It _was _Mina who had told me," Lita conceded.

"It fits with what Miss Lanai told us," Darien said quietly.

"The same thing goes for Miss Lanai as goes for Mina," Serena said hoarsely.

"They've never had contact, though." Darien's trouble eyes rested on Serena. "As far as we know. If they haven't talked, how could their stories match each other unless they were true?"

Serena looked down at her pillow. "If he was murdering me, why would I be calling out to him? And why would he come after me? He killed the princess because he didn't want to be alone without her. He's never even met me."

"She has a point." This was Lita's contribution.

"Maybe he's latched onto you now," said Darien darkly. "Maybe he's Seiko."

Lita raised her eyebrows. "That's going a little far."

"And if he…_liked_ me," Serena said, "Why would he be talking about the crystal in my dreams? Wouldn't he be, like, whispering sweet nothings?"

Darien threw up his arms. "Do I look like I'm a reincarnated Earth prince? Don't ask _me_ to fathom his warped mind."

"I'm not asking you to read his mind, I'm just throwing out ideas!" Serena swung her legs over the side of the bed, narrowly missing Darien's face, and stood up. "But sorry, I forgot, you don't think I'm capable of intelligent thought!"

She pushed open the window and dropped out of sight. Darien and Lita both rushed to look out and make sure she was alright. She was just landing on the ground, her Senshi skirt fluttering as she sprang up again and out of sight.

Darien reached swiftly into himself to transform also and go after her –

_If I were you, I'd give Serena some space._

But –

_You're making her lose focus of herself._

He fell away from his core, let the tuxedo melt back into his t-shirt and sweats. He grabbed Lita's arm as she climbed out of the window.

"Let her be."

"Are you crazy? She's on her own out there!"

"I'll feel if she gets hurt. For now, let her have some space." Despite the calm nonchalance of his voice, he felt disgusted with himself again. He didn't know how, but somehow he'd done it again, he'd screwed things up with Serena.

"We just found out about ANOTHER person who wants to kill her and you want us to just sit back and let her traipse around alone?"

"No, that's not what I _want_ to do!" Darien snapped. "But she didn't jump out of a second story window in the middle of the night because she felt like a stroll! She needs something and she'll come back when she's got it, so just let it be!"

L

Sailor Moon ran faster than she'd ever run before. Her lungs threatened to explode as she streaked through the streets, her feet felt wreathed in fire, but if she slowed down, he would be able to catch up. And if he was going to go to America, she couldn't afford to let him see her right now, like this. Terrified to her bones, helpless and needy. About to cry, afraid to die, missing him even though he wasn't not gone yet, barely able to keep from breaking down and thanking him so much for deciding not to go, but no, he has to, he wants to, he needs to go –

"Stop!" In a voice mangled by starved lungs, she shrieked at herself.

Her body tumbled to a stop, thrown by her momentum down to her hands and knees on the pavement. She stared down at it as though she could see her reflection in the cement. "Just stop it! He's going, okay? You're going to make sure he goes! What happened tonight doesn't change anything." She was calming down now, tranquilized by decision. "Now get up and go back. Nothing's wrong, you're okay. You're okay. You're okay." The words got caught in her throat and repeated themselves like a CD skipping and repeating the same song over and over and over and over and over….

L

Ami's workbook was wet. The pages were wavy and rippled now, the ink smeared into Rorschach blobs. She could see Luna's black face in the bottom right hand corner, face angry; and Rei's beautiful silky rave hair in the left center; and scattered all around them were the black hearts for hate that Ami always found in her locker instead of love letters.

This isn't right, you should be happy for Rei. This is why you're stunted; this is why you don't have friends; instead of being happy for her you're jealous –

Somewhere in the river of tears she drifted to sleep.

A loud slam woke her. Her eyes flickered open to see her mother stalking toward her. She banged an orange pill bottle down on the tabletop.

"This is the last straw, Ami, you're taking the med," said Dr. Mizuno. "I'm sick of coming home to this soap opera every night."

"No, Mam – " Ami's pathetic voice choked off as her mother seized her chin and forced her head back. "Mam – !" She gagged.

Dr. Mizuno forced a swallow of water down her daughters throat to chase down the first pill. If she had been paying any attention to her daughter's face, she would have seen that an inordinate amount of water seemed to gush from the young girl's eyes; the same amount, indeed, as the water she'd just swallowed.

But Dr. Mizuno wasn't paying attention to Ami's face. Or she might have seen the icing-over of her face just before she evaporated into thin air.

L

Sailor Venus stared down at Sailor Moon's swirling golden hair as the impersonator crouched in the middle of the street. It reminded her of her own hair. She hated it so much. She would dye it red, permanently, this night…

A chill wind fingered her face. She froze.

_Mercury!_

Minako took of like a beam of light. Sailor Moon would have to wait.

She found Mercury slumped against the front window of the under-repair Crown Arcade. Her gloved hand pressed against the glass. She was mumbling something to it as Venus stepped toward her.

There were fading wings on the heels of her blue boots. Venus digested their presence and felt the truth bite into her once more: This was her Mercury. It was not an Earthling wearing the Mercurian's fuku. It was her very own dear, dear, dear Mercury of the witty jokes and flitting presence. This was her Mercury, torn and twisted and sapped.

The blue-haired child whimpered as Venus gathered her up into her arms. Minako shushed her gently. Mercury's eyes rolled back into her head, and she fell into a twitch-haunted slumber.

Minako smoothed her hair back from her hot forehead and began to sing softly. As she sang, Mercury's transformation faded, and Ami fell still.

The face was innocent and pitiable. But gazing at it, Venus could not curb the hatred rising like bile in her throat. This pathetic, weeping mortal could not have been what Mercury had been reborn to be. This was a pale, blasphemous shadow of her, a weak, sobbing replica.

And yet, wasn't that was Minako herself was? A pale, blaspheming shadow of her old self. And she hated herself.

But she couldn't hate this broken child. How could she? She had not chosen this fate.

So Minako continued to sing, smoothing the tortured creases from Ami's face and praying, for the girl's sake, that she would never wake up.

L

The next few days found Motoki and Asanuma rejoicing at the return of the Serena they had once known. She laughed loudly and often, gobbled her food, talked happily, and, best of all in their eyes, fought constantly with Darien. Not a word came out of his mouth but that she had to contradict it, and it resulted in many glare-offs – until Serena heard a cry for help and skipped off to save the day.

It was hilarious to watch, really. But not so fun to be part of. Serena watched Darien at every moment with every move she made, trying to see if it convinced him yet that she could take care of herself and he could go to America. Darien on the other hand watched Serena with an even closer eye than usual because of all of her antics. On top of that, he was rather hurt by Serena's constant shooting him down every time he opened his mouth. He wondered if this was how she had felt back when she was a freshman and he was the sophomore insulting her at every turn.

Considering how focused they were one each other, you might think that it would be impossible for them not to notice that they were both watching each other. But this is Serena and Darien we're talking about, and of course the impossible is entirely possible and even probable for them, so they didn't notice that they were basically stalking each other.

It was Thursday, and Darien hadn't mentioned America or Yale AT ALL. Serena sat in study hall next to Darien APPEARING to work industriously away at her math homework. Really, she was just drawing numbers and plus and minus signs with a couple of 'x''s mixed in for good measure. Why? Because she was determined to show Darien that she didn't need him to help her with homework, either.

What she was really doing instead of thinking about rombolas or whatever was about what to do. Desperate times called for desperate measures. The problem was, she couldn't think of any measures.

Behind Darien's head was yet another poster proclaiming "PROM NITE!" She stared at it for a moment, chewing on her pencil, and conceived a brainchild. (Asexually, of course.)

She could go to the prom. Lita would be there, so Darien couldn't say it wouldn't be safe. And that way, he'd have some alone time and he would finally be able to realize that he could go to Yale!

Okay, so the plan was a full of holes, but it was the best she had. Desperate times, remember?

"Odango, you have no clue how to do this homework, do you?"

She snapped back into reality. "What?" She snatched her paper back from Darien. "I do too!"

"Uh-huh. Would you mind explaining to me, then, why your homework on 'Drawing Parabolas' has all numbers and no graphs?"

Serena shot a glance at her book. So _that _was what that had meant… "So maybe I was a little muddled," she said defiantly.

"Give me your pencil," Darien sighed and began erasing her nonsense and explaining the chapter to her. When he finished and Serena completed a couple problems to his satisfaction, he turned back to his own textbook. But not before saying, "I swear, Odango, I don't know how you'd ever live without me."

URGH! A strangled sound emerged from Serena's throat, and her pencil snapped in two as she squeezed it. Darien rolled his eyes, figuring it to be just Serena getting mad at a math problem. Little did he know.

L

"Announcement, announcement!" Serena cried at dinner that night, as she helped herself to a third heaping helping of Lita's marvelous spaghetti. (She was especially hungry tonight because she had foiled two bullies and a robber – Darien certainly hadn't been happy about that one, but she assured the police officer that the robber just thought she looked like Sailor Moon because of her hairstyle.) She tapped her fork against her glass – not particularly effective, since her glass was actually plastic.

"Yes?" said Darien warily. This really had been a tiring week for him. It should be illegal for someone to have as much energy as Serena. Especially after that incident today with the burglar…good God.

"I – " Serena pointed to herself with her fork. "Am going to the prom."

"Did someone ask you?" Lita asked curiously, snapping a breadstick in half. "Tonami?"

"Nooo – well, yes, he did, but I'm not going with him," Serena said. "I'm going stag."

Darien looked even unhappier than before. He set down his fork. "Why the change of mind?"

"I just decided that I'm a high school girl, and I should _take every opportunity I get_ – " She paused, then finished cheerfully, "to have fun! After all, I don't _OWE anything to_ _anyone..._"

"That's the spirit!" Lita waved a forkful of spaghetti. "Freedom! Do what you want! Especially since your parents are coming home soon and you'll have a curfew and everything to worry about – "

"Don't remind me," Serena groaned, but she grew quiet and thoughtful. "No, I miss them. It'll be worth it to have them home."

Darien thought of his empty apartment, basically unlived in for weeks now. It would be back to silent dinners with only a book propped in front of him for company…

"I'll miss this, though." Serena's voice dissipated the lonely image from his mind. He looked up. She was twirling spaghetti around her fork and staring at it wistfully. "It'll be so weird to get ready for school in the morning on my own…" She looked up, and her eyes met his. She straightened abruptly. "I mean, I need to, though! I've gotten much better about waking up on time. It's good you guys won't be here, I'll have to take care of myself for once! That's important! After all, someday I'll be living on my own without anyone to watch me but myself!"

Into the silence that followed, Lita raised her eyebrows. "Okay. What are you going to do for a dress, Serena? All the stores are closed by now."

"Oh, that's no problem," Serena said airily. Then she remembered. "Oh my gosh! Lita, I've never told you about the Luna Pen, have I?" Without waiting for a reply, she yanked the pen out of her Sub-Space Pocket (where she had started keeping it after Darien pulled it out of her pencil bag that one time). "Luna Pen – give me a gorgeous prom dress!"

When the smoke cleared and the dots stopped dancing in front of their eyes, Lita and Darien saw Serena standing in front of them in a dress worthy of a Disney fairy tale.

Lita shook her head. "Uh-uh. People will be asking where the groom is."

"And undoubtedly assuming it's me," Darien muttered.

Serena heard him and spun. "No, they won't! You're not going!"

"I'm not?"

"Well, you said you weren't," Serena said with hasty casualty. "Remember? Take the night off and relax. I'll be with Lita."

"Oh, no, you don't," Darien began but Serena snapped her fingers. "No, wait!" he exclaimed. "I have the perfect idea!"

She stabbed the Luna Pen into the air. "Luna Pen! Make me look like someone who's not me – but still in a prom dress!"

This time when the smoke cleared, a willowy black-haired girl stood before them. She was taller than Serena by at least fifteen centimeters and wore a strappy black dress that belled out from its narrow waist into a flouncy skirt.

The girl who was Serena pouted down at it critically. "More color, please, Luna Pen?"

Crimson ribbons shimmered into existence, threaded through the skirt, and every other layer of skirt flounce brightened from black to red. A three-layered choker of red and black jewels materialized around her neck.

"I feel very vampirish," said Serena doubtfully, looking to Lita for suggestions.

"You look sexy," Lita offered.

"Very un-Serena-like," Darien agreed, and Serena glowered. Before she could bite his head off, he asked, "But how is this the perfect idea?"

"Well, duh," Serena said, her ire disappearing at the opportunity to be smarter than Darien. "If I look like this, no one will know I'm Serena. Which means none of the Senshi or the Dark Kingdom will come after me. So you don't have to worry about leaving me alone!"

"Wow," said Lita, impressed. "Good idea. And I like that pen."

Darien opened his mouth to say, "Over my dead body are you going to prom without me," but his mind flashed suddenly to Asanuma's words. _You might want to give her some space. You're making Serena lose focus of herself…_

He picked up his fork. "Okay," he said, filling his mouth with spaghetti so that she wouldn't hear the lie in his voice. "As long as you use that disguise."

Serena's eyes widened. Before he knew it, she had shot from her chair and had her arms around his neck. "Thankyouthankyouthanyou!"

He avoided her sparkling gaze. Sure, he would let her think that she was their on her own, but he would sneak in and keep an eye on her. Because as long as she didn't KNOW he was there, she wouldn't feel smothered, right?

But it still made him feel bad when she so trustingly hugged him like this. It was like accepting payment for something he was going to steal.

L

At one time, Ami's sapphire blue hair had been the physical feature that made her stick out like a sore thumb. Now it was the floury pallor of her face that caught Serena's eye.

"Oh my God," Serena murmured when she saw her. "Ami, what's happened to you…?" She watched Ami close her locker and lean her forehead against it briefly. Her conscience hammered at her to go to her, but her fear nailed her to her spot. Ami was with Venus.

Ami's translucent hands rose and pushed herself away from the lockers. She shambled off, tiny as an ant beneath her exponentially larger backpack.

Serena stared at the locker. Twin streaks glinted on the painted-metal. Her feet finally moved, and she halted in front of the locker, reaching out to touch the streaks. Her finger came away wet.

She reached into her SubSpace Pocket, looking for…something.

Her hand hit something unyielding and cold. The tiniest of frowns dented her forehead, and she drew it out.

A bottle of fruit juice. Strawberry melon, one of her favorites. Still beaded with condensation.

She smiled. Darien.

Her eyes lifted to the wet smears again. She tore a scrap of paper off her homework and began to write.

L

"So Serena's going to prom tonight, but you're not," Asanuma said that morning at their lab table. His tone was studiously blank.

Darien threw him a glance over his spectacles as he adjusted their spring scale. (He was a bit agitated because Serena's homeroom teacher had kicked him out before the bell rang, which certainly meant Serena was going to do _something_ that would get her into trouble, and he wouldn't be there to nip it in the bud. And of course this knowledge Numa had attained made him grumpier.) "What makes you think that?"

"Kobayashi sold her a ticket. Only one. So I jumped to the conclusion that she's going stag. Unless of course you're just being cheap and making her pay for her own ticket but still going with her?"

"Even if she did go to prom without me," Darien neatly sidestepped Asanuma's prying. "What's the problem? You're the one who told me to give her some space."

"Not what I meant," Asanuma said contemptuously. "Girls aren't supposed to be alone at _prom_."

Darien laughed without humor. It suddenly struck him that that was the way he always used to laugh: without humor. When had that changed? And when had it changed back? "If Serena's fan club still has half as many members as it did the last time I checked, her dance card'll be full."

"Dance cards," scoffed Asanuma. "As if anyone uses those these days, you old man."

"Look, I think you're the last one who should be criticizing me when it comes to prom," Darien pointed out.

"Low blow," Asanuma growled.

"I thought you liked stuff below the belt," countered Darien coldly.

"At least I've got stuff below the belt," Asanuma returned fierily. "You haven't got the balls to ask Serena to go with you – "

"Oh, like you had the balls to ask Rei?" Darien retorted.

"That's different!" Asanuma snapped.

"Different how? Because Rei's a bitch and Serena's not?"

Asanuma's fist flew out and punched Darien in the face.

"Take it back," Asanuma threatened lowly.

"Make me."

Adrenaline coursed through Darien's veins. All the tension of the past couple days – Serena getting hurt multiple times but now always pushing away his help, the unusual and suspicious respite from any Dark Kingdom activity, the quickly approaching return of Serena's parents, Yale, his own parents, his own damned social idiocy – had piled up and was now avalanching, roaring down his slopes. He rolled his shoulders back, waiting hungrily for Asanuma to punch him again.

But the blonde lowered his fists. "Never mind," he muttered.

"Why?" Darien almost snarled. "You scared?"

Asanuma stared at him. "Man, Motoki was right," he said disgustedly. "What are we turning into?"

Darien stared back at him. He saw his crouched, feral reflection in Asanuma's pupils, and slowly straightened. God, what had he been thinking?

"Asanuma – "

"No, no, it's okay." Asanuma raked his hand through his hair. "My fault. I shouldn't have messed with you about Serena. I hate it when people do that to me about Rei, I shouldn't have done it to someone else."

"I shouldn't have called Rei a – you know," said Darien awkwardly, though actually he did not regret actually calling Rei that, for in his eyes, it was what she was. What he had regretted was how it made Asanuma react, and for that, he WAS sorry. "I'm a bastard."

"Makes two of us," Asanuma said unhappily. "God. I wish this whole dumb night would just hurry up and be over with."

"Amen," said Darien.

They sat silently together until Motoki came hurrying over just before the bell. "Hey," he said. "So, Darien, you still haven't changed your mind about prom?"

Asanuma laughed out loud.

L

A scrap of paper fluttered out of Ami's locker as she struggled it open. She rattled in a shaky breath and bent to pick it up (since it was probably the calculus homework she'd been unable to find in third period and had had to take a zero for), grasping the bottom of her locker to steady her. But suddenly – WHOOSH! She found herself staring up from the floor, her fingers wet and slippery, her eyes wide, and her rear end numb.

Snickers erupted. Mortification heated her skin, and she clawed back to her feet, the weight of her backpack trying to drag her back down.

A minute puddle of water sat on her locker shelf, surrounding a bottle of juice. This water had been what loosened her grip on the shelf and made her fall.

Where was the juice from? It wasn't hers.

Something rustled at her feet. She looked down again and saw the scrap of paper. From this vantage point, she could see the fat scrawl across it: _For you. Sorry it's melting. _

Ami fell back down on the floor again, her knee buckled. It was melting. Everything.

L

"Wait, so let me get this straight," Serena said, hands on her hips. "You DIDN'T tell them I WASN'T going to prom?"

"For the fourth time, Odango, no, I didn't."

"URGH! I can't BELIEVE you!" Serena stomped around the kitchen. "If they had told ME they had I was going to prom, and I hadn't disabused them of the notion, you would have been all over me! You're such a HYPOCRITE! 'Do this, Odango,' you say, and then you go and do the opposite! How are you going to have children if you can't be a proper role model for them?"

Darien finally regained his verbal footing and raised his eyebrows at her. "Okay, I have to tell you that I REALLY haven't been thinking that far ahead in the future. I've been focusing more on slightly less important things like KEEPING YOU ALIVE!"

"OBVIOUSLY NOT IF YOU'RE BLOWING MY COVER TO EVERYONE! And I'm quite capable of keeping me alive myself!"

"Could we keep the noise level down to a sonic boom, please?' asked Lita sarcastically, coming downstairs. "Serena, Toki and I are going to dinner beforehand, so if you're planning to come with us, you should probably start getting ready – "

Serena blanched. She hadn't planned to intrude on a romantic dinner between Motoki and Lita with her presence. "I – " she said. "Oh. Hmmmm."

"Here's an idea." Darien quickly saw Serena's mental dilemma and found a way to solve one of his own problems with it. "Lita goes ahead with Motoki beforehand, and I take Serena to the school when prom starts, and you can meet up there."

"Hmmm." Serena eyed him suspiciously. "It SOUNDS good…"

"Surprisingly enough," Lita added her two cents.

"Ha ha." Darien glowered at them. "Just go get ready."

"No! Dress second! Hair first!" Serena grabbed Lita's hand and dragged her up the stairs. Darien followed them, arms crossed. "Let me do your hair, Lita?"

"I was just going to put it in a ponytail with a prettier scrunchie…" Lita said.

"No, no, NO!" Serena pushed Lita down into the stool in front of her vanity. She selected a brush. "Pretty hair like yours must be free to awe everyone with its beauty during special occasions like these."

Darien smirked at Lita in the mirror as Serena set to work. "Let us observe a moment of silence for your poor hair."

Darien was silent after that, all right. But less out of his own volition than from the hairbrush Serena sent flying at his head. "Ow…"

"There's more where that came from," Serena warned absently. She reached in one of her drawers and rummaged around. "Where are you…muahahahaha! Found you!"

Lita was truly getting scared now. But she just didn't have the heart to tell Serena she'd rather let her hair be when Serena was so excited about fixing it up. And plus, Serena's gentle brushing was very soothing though her strange sounds and talking to herself were not.

"Open eyes!" Serena commanded.

Lita opened them. And blinked.

"Wow," she said, turning her head one way, then the other. Soft waves fell down her shoulders, pinned up here and there by tiny rose-shaped clips to create different layers. "It – it actually looks really pretty, Serena."

"Of course!" Serena pouted. "Did you ever doubt me?"

"Well…." Lita laughed, touching her hair in wonder. "Where'd you find these clips?"

"Oh, I've had them for ever." Serena waved a negligent hand. "They match your earrings perfectly, though. I've been trying to find them ever since you agreed to go to prom with Toki. I KNEW they had to go in your hair."

That warmth melted Lita's insides again. She rubbed surreptitiously at her eyes. Perhaps seeing this, Serena hastily pulled Darien out of the room with her, urging Lita to use anything she needed from her room.

"I'll make dinner," Darien said when they got downstairs. "What do you want?"

"I think I'd rather make my own." Serena sniffed. "You're bound to make it healthy and gross – "

Darien cut her off. "Pizza?"

"Pizza!" she agreed.

Forty-five minutes later, they both balanced steaming plates of pizza in their laps as they sat in front of the TV. Serena had a glass of milk; Darien had tomato juice. ("GROSS!" Serena shrieked. "Aren't there enough tomatoes for you in the pizza sauce?"). Serena wanted to watch Friday night anime episodes; Darien wanted to watch the news ("BO-RING!") They compromised by watching the news on a channel that had a news anchor Serena thought was hot ("How can you like that guy? He's way too old for you. Like twenty five, or something.")

They traded their crusts and pepperoni (Darien liked crusts, Serena didn't). And when the news ended, they both looked up at the stairs.

"KINO," Darien bellowed, "ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?"

A high heel flew down the stairs, narrowly missing his head.

"Signs point to yes," Serena intoned.

"Yeah, I get the _point_." Darien held up the shoe's sharp heel and grinned, pleased with his little pun.

Serena groaned. "Haven't you used that pun before?"

Then Lita appeared at the foot of the stairs.

"LITA!" Serena gasped, jumping up and spilling her milk all over Darien. "You look GORGEOUS!"

Lita blushed, looking down at her dress. "You think?"

"I _know_," said Serena. "Oh, let me take a picture – "

"In the time it'll take you to find the camera, then find batteries, then figure out how to work it, the dance will already be over." Darien rolled his eyes as he peeled off his milk-soaked school overshirt. "Let her go, I'm sure Motoki will take a bunch."

"I'll take them tonight!" Serena whispered in Lita's ear. She squeezed her arm warmly. "WAI! You look SO PRETTY! Motoki's eyeballs are going to hit the floor!"

Lita flushed even warmer than before. Under Serena's effusive squealing, her apprehension about what Motoki would think had dwindled almost to nothing. Now she was impatient to see his reaction.

"I'll see you there!" she told Serena and hurried down the front walk, holding her skirt like a fairy tale princess running to her prince. Just the cheesy thought sent thrills through her.

She laughed. She was _so_ whipped.

L

"Let's go now," Serena said.

"Now?" Darien checked his watch. "But it's not eight yet."

"I know, but I want to be there early and see everyone," Serena said, bouncing up and down on the sofa. She jumped up and shouted, "LUNA PEN! TURN ME INTO THE NOT-ME DRESSED-FOR-PROM GIRL FROM BEFORE!"

Smoke exploded, then cleared, and the raven-haired, tall girl from Tuesday stood in the middle of the living room.

"Well, before you run into the ball so eagerly, Cinderella, what are you going to tell all the boys who ask you what your name is?"

"Oh!" Serena's now brown, kohl-lined eyes widened. "Of course I thought about that – "

"Liar."

" – and I decided on Mocha."

"Mocha?" Darien tasted the strange name on his tongue.

"Yeah, Mocha! Like the flavor of that ice cream you got, which I thought would taste nasty because it's based on coffee but is actually pretty yummy – "

"YOU'RE the one who ate all of my mocha ice cream?" A growl rumbled in Darien's throat.

Serena – oops, Mocha – grinned innocently. "Maybe just a little. But never mind that! I'll buy you some more to make up for it. Right now I want to GO!"

"Okay, okay." Darien led the way outside to the car. "Let's lay some ground rules, though," he said as he backed out of the driveway.

Serena rolled her eyes. "I know, I know – don't tell anyone who I am, stay away from Mina, stop interfering with bullies and criminals on the most wanted list – "

"NO," said Darien. "Well, those, too, but I was thinking more along the lines of…BOYS." He paused significantly. "That dress you're wearing is rather revealing, and I know how teenage boys' minds work, so first off, make sure their eyes stay on your FACE. Second, hand positions. If they go higher or lower than your waist – "

"DARIEN!" Serena's face flamed as red as her crimson ribbons.

"What?" Darien glanced over at her.

She buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe you're SAYING this stuff to me – "

"Well, if I don't tell you, who else is going to?" he demanded. "Anyway, third rule, don't drink any punch, it's probably been spiked, and don't drink anything any boys offer you, either, that's probably been spiked, too – "

"You're acting like you're my DAD," Serena moaned.

"No, I'm acting like I'm your superhero protector Tuxedo Mask." Darien gave her a piercing look.

"And again you're being a hypocrite," Serena muttered. "You say I shouldn't let boys touch me above or below the waist, but _you_ do all the time, _Tuxedo Mask._" She dragged out the words.

Now it was Darien's turn to blush brightly. "Not like that!" he spluttered. "It's different! Anyways, you get the picture. Be_have_."

They had reached the school parking lot, and Darien could see Motoki's white car parked not far away. That meant he and Lita were already here.

Serena hopped out of the car. "I _will_," she said emphatically, smoothing her flouncy skirt. Then she tossed him a wink. "As long as Hot Anchor Man doesn't show up, that is."

_"_Oda –_ Mocha_," Darien growled warningly, but she had already skipped off.

He sighed to himself and then parked the car. He glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then got out of the car and pulled a tux out of the backseat. Any other time he would just have transformed and removed his cape, mask, and hat, but if he did that now, Serena would sense his transformation and come running. So it was back to the slow and awkward human methods. He headed to the locker room to get changed.

L

Entering the gym was like entering a rain forest. It was warm and muggy, the air almost solid as it pressed against Rei's skin and sheened it with a film of perspiration. Or maybe it really wasn't that hot, maybe it was just her.

At least the lighting was dim enough that no one would notice the dark spots of sweat seeping through the dark red material of her dress. The only illumination came from rope lights strung along the walls and from paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling like stars. That, and the dancing techno lights that flitted around the DJ booth.

At the same time, the dimness worked against her – how was she supposed to find him if she couldn't see him?

Anxiety pitted her stomach – what if she didn't find him? What if he didn't find her? Or maybe he already had – was he watching her, at this moment, somewhere? She resisted the urge to look around. She suddenly felt clammy, cold beneath the sweat, and too exposed in her dress. What had she been thinking leaving the house in this thing?

She bit her lip. Never mind that. She was a Senshi, and she had worn far skimpier clothing than this without cringing. She wasn't going to turn coward now.

Her eyes flicked back to the DJ booth, where Asanuma would be standing. She kept her eyes deliberately away from it for a moment, trying to prepare herself for the letdown. _It doesn't matter if it's not him_, she told herself, knowing she was lying.

She let herself look at the boy behind the booth.

But it was. Oh my God, it was! He was the only one standing behind the stacks of CD's, and his loud tie-dyed tux screamed out at her eyes.

At that moment, he looked up, dampened blonde curls falling over his forehead as he pressed his headphones closer to his ears. He looked straight at her.

She wasn't aware of moving, but suddenly he was growing closer in her vision. She must have jostled a dozen people, but only three things penetrated her fogged awareness: there was Asanuma, he was wearing tie-dye, and the words of the music that had suddenly grown louder in her ears.

_I could tell_

_From the minute I woke up_

_It was gonna be a lonely, lonely day._

And then she was there. Standing a foot away from him. She was sure she should be posing in some coy way, but she couldn't for the life of her feel anything but overexposed and awkward.

He seemed to feel the same way: a pained expression crossed his face before settling into a congenial smile. "Hi, Rei! What are you doing here?"

_Even though the sun is shining down on me, _

_And I should feel about as happy as can be –_

Warning bells should have gone off when he asked her that. After all, if he had written the letter, he should know why she was there. But Rei's heart was thumping too loudly for her to notice.

"I got a letter," she said as nonchalantly as she could, holding up the pink envelope. "With a ticket in it. From a secret admirer..."

"Uh – cool! That's, you know, cool." He nodded to himself, not meeting her eyes.

"Yeah." Rei nodded, too. What was she supposed to do now? Shouldn't he have confessed by now?

_I just got here and I already want to leave…_

"I was… pretty surprised. But really happy!" she added hastily.

"Really? That – that's great!" Asanuma smiled brightly, his eyes crinkling shut.

_It's shaping up to be…_

_a lonely, lonely day._

Rei was slowly feeling the ground disintegrating under her feet. Why wasn't he saying anything? He had sent the freaking letter, hadn't he? Maybe he'd changed his mind – as this thought occurred to Rei in horror, the music died.

Asanuma, who had been staring at her from under his bangs (though she hadn't noticed), started as the music died. He turned quickly to his DJ apparatus and keyed a few buttons. The music started up again. He pushed his headphones from his ears and turned back to Rei.

"So," he began awkwardly.

"So," echoed Rei. Then she shook her head, her glossy black hair swaying. "So you don't know who might have sent this?"

She held up the letter, the damned letter. Why hadn't HE ever thought of the secret admirer scheme?

"No," he heard himself say. "I…I could look at the handwriting, though. Maybe I could figure out who it is." _No! No, idiot, what are you saying? Don't help her get together with some other guy!_

She handed the letter to him. Her fingers were shaking just a little bit. Probably from the sheer excitement of meeting the damned genius who thought of this… He was careful not to let his fingers touch hers, lest he – lest he…did something he regretted.

He frowned down at the paper. "But this…" he let out a breath and looked up at her with a huge smile of relief breaking out on his face. "This is Serena's handwriting!"

Her insides shattered.

Fell to her toes like fragments of a broken CD.

She forced herself to speak. Only a single syllable, because anything more would unlock the tears stinging her eyes. "Oh?"

"Yeah!" Asanuma laughed. It was a sound of relief, but in her ears, it was mocking. "That's funny!"

"Yeah. Hilarious," Rei forced out. She swallowed tightly, then spun to walk down the stairs, her hair and dress swirling around her.

"Hey!" Asanuma stepped towards her. "Rei, wait!"

But he still wore his headphones, which were connected to the DJ equipment, and as he took another step, the whole table lurched. He yelped and spun, diving towards it. He righted everything with a grunt, then tore off the headphones and turned again.

But by then Rei had vanished.

L

Minako's arms were wound loosely around the neck of her dance partner, her chin on his shoulder. Her eyelids were half-closed. She appeared totally relaxed to anyone who happened to look, but the eyes beneath the lids swept the room.

"Still no sign of her." Malachite's murmured words stirred her hair.

Minako's lips tightened. "We must have missed her. I specifically heard Shields tell one of his friends she was coming."

"How can we miss a blonde in the middle of all these brunettes?" Malachite said softly. And it was true, the whole gym was filled by a sea of brown and black hair, except for a couple dots of light in the form of Shields' comrades Furuhata and Itto and a few redheads.

Minako moved restlessly. She didn't know what to do short of barging up to Jupiter and demanding to know where Moon was.

Malachite tightened his grip on her waist. "Just wait," he said. The slightest shade of entreaty tinted his tone. "Perhaps she's showing up fashionably late – " His grip loosened suddenly. His voice cut off.

"What?" Minako's eyes pierced into his, but he wasn't looking at her. She spun to follow his gaze, but he had looked away. "What was it?"

"Nothing."

She frowned at his blatant lie. The pain from not being able to trust him cut even deeper here, here in the mass of dancing couples, where but for the strange music and different clothing, they could have been back in the Silver Millennium. In the novels he teased her so about loving, there would have been a turning point here, here in this dimly-lit ambience; they would have pledged their love anew and everything would have somehow healed itself.

"Minako."

She twisted her head away from his hand. "Tell me what you saw!"

"Minako – "

"No! You made your decision when you agreed to this plan!" She was crying again. Twenty years she'd gone in the Silver Millennium without ever shedding a single tear and now she'd sobbed an ocean's worth in a fortnight's time. She hated this place! Hated it! She hated _him_! Why couldn't he just give up his damned prince?

She hated herself, too, because she knew the answer to that question; it was the same as the answer to why she would never give up her princess. She hated herself for hating him for not doing what she would hate him for asking her to do!

"Why isn't it enough?" Minako demanded. Her fist pounded his chest. "Why isn't our love enough, Malachite?" Why can't we be like the couple in my stories, why can't our love save everything, or at least us, why isn't our love enough to overcome the chains to our monarchs, why don't I love you enough to fight for you –

"He was here." The words dragged themselves from his mouth.

Minako blinked through the water in her eyes. "What?"

"Shields. He was here."

"Then so is she," Minako breathed. Her hands fell from Malachite. She pivoted abruptly away. "And if she won't show herself, I'll _drag _her out by those hair tails."

L

The music pulsed in her ears like a heartbeat as she entered the gym. Immediately, her eyes flicked toward the DJ booth. Asanuma stood there alone, she couldn't tell if Rei had come yet or not.

Her eyes roved the room for Lita, and found her quickly; she and Motoki were the tallest couple in the crowd, and one of the most good-looking, in her biased opinion. They danced like devils, something she hadn't expected from either of them; they both seemed too self-conscious. But apparently together they threw that to the winds.

When Lita saw Serena – or Mocha – the slight tension in her lips disappeared. She smiled widely at her.

Serena waggled her eyebrows at her, then slipped into the crowd before Motoki could notice her and wonder who she was.

In the thick of the dancing, swaying a little to not stick out TOTALLY, she glanced up at Asanuma again. He leaned over the equipment with headphones hanging around his neck and a tired expression on his face.

She wanted to wait and watch so that she would not miss what happened when Rei came and found him (certainly he wouldn't look so unexcited if she had already come!) but at the same time, she did not think Rei would want her to see it. Nor was it really her right to see it.

She turned resolutely. Arms brushed against her and elbows knocked against hers: she was in the middle of the dance floor. She tried to dart through the crowd like she had become quite adroit at doing, but found herself instead knocking into people and drawing their attention. That extra half a foot of height really made a difference!

"Whoops, sorry!" One boy accidentally banged her with his shoulder. He lifted his hands in a conciliatory gesture, turning away from the knot of people he'd been in. "You okay?"

"Oh, fine," Serena assured him. His hazel eyes were staring straight into hers, sketching a blush on her cheeks. How strange it was to stare straight into someone's eyes, not peer up into them!

"Let me get you some punch or something." The boy broke away from his group and moved close behind her, brushing against her flouncy skirt. "Unless you already have a lucky boy to do that?"

Serena realized that she had decided to come to prom solely for the purpose of freeing Darien; she hadn't thought past that. But what was she going to do all night until one? Hover at the punch bowl? Why not enjoy herself? Here was a nice boy she could dance and have fun with for a while –

A smile flashed flirtatiously across her lips. "I do now!" She hooked a hand through the arm he offered her and pushed her way through the crowd with him.

They were both flushed and laughing by the time they reached the refreshments. He picked up two glasses deftly with one hand. "Punch or sparkling grape juice, Cinderella?"

"Whichever hasn't been spiked," Serena answered with a daring sort of grin.

"Hmm. There's only one way to find out that sort of information." He poured punch in one glass, juice in the other, handed her the juice and clinked his cup with hers. "Cheers!"

They downed the cups' contents enthusiastically. The juice crackled like holiday sparklers down Serena's throat. The music suddenly seemed louder.

"I don't know what alcohol tastes like!" she confessed to the boy.

"What?" he yelled over the pounding music.

"I don't know how alcohol tastes!" she shouted.

He grinned at her in a way that made her sure he still hadn't understood her.

"Okay!" he shouted. "Hey, let's dance!" Without waiting for her answer, he grabbed her hand and started moving. They danced their way back into the crowd. Serena was bumping into people all over, but it was an invigorating feeling. Like she was connected to them, like she was part of something. Certainly, the last thing she felt like was alone as she and the boy grinned stupidly at each other and music guided her limbs with a grace she never achieved otherwise.

The fast music died abruptly, cut off mid-sentence. Serena blinked as her arms fell to her sides. Sweat glued her hair to her cheeks and neck and back; she felt hot and alive. Except for this sudden silence was like a refrigerator, like a sublimation process, and her floaty, vaporous delight was quickly condensing into cold ice cubes. They jolted her brain awake; what was even the name of this kid she'd been dancing with?

She looked around. He was gone.

But there was someone suddenly rushing toward her as music started again: a slow, mournful intro.

"_Chere, chere!_" It was Miss Lanai, decked out in the strangest leather ensemble, but that wasn't all. "Since your partner 'ad to leave so quickly, 'ere is someone to take 'is place!"

It was _Darien_. Grinding his teeth at the way Miss Lanai's fingers bit into his shoulder and shoved him at Serena.

"Wha – ?" She began to say, but then Miss Lanai, too, had vanished into thin air, and Darien was placing his hands on her waist with an expression that suggested it was painful.

Which only fanned the flames.

"WHAT IN THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE?" she hissed at him. She didn't even have to tilt her head back to glare at him; she came up to his nose now. "I came here so you WOULDN'T have to follow me around!"

"Don't make this scene here, Odango." His voice was quiet but warning at her ear.

She moved her hands from his shoulder to knot around his neck, looking as though she was merely moving closer to dance but really she was moving closer to yell at him in a whisper. "Why can't you do something for YOU for once?"

"Something for ME?" Darien gave her a disgusted look. "Hello, Pot, this is Kettle! You're black!"

She was fuming. "Don't you dare – "

"Let me finish!" Darien had first kept his head craned back from her, but now it was bent toward her as his eyes flashed. "_I'll_ start giving myself spa days when you cut yourself a little slack!"

"I cut myself plenty of slack!" she said. "I came to this dance!"

"So that _I_ 'wouldn't have to follow you around!'" He crooked his fingers into quotation marks.

Serena reached up and yanked his head down by his collar. "Shut up and listen to me for once!" She smushed her forehead against his fiercely. "You always tell me 'Serena, stop worrying about other people for once and do what YOU want!' Well, you get a chance to go to college in AMERICA, something you've been dreaming of your whole life – don't tell me you haven't, I saw those posters on your walls! – and YOU. TURN. IT. DOWN!" She shook him violently. "And don't you DARE lie and say it's not because of me!" she snapped when he opened his mouth.

Darien's mouth snapped shut again as she shot down his protest before he'd even fired it. But he regained himself and said coldly, "This may not have occurred to you, Serena, but my life doesn't revolve around you. You're flattering yourself."

"Oh, really?" The pressure of her forehead against his lessened. "Then why – " Her words tickled his lips – " – did you spend a whole week camped in the tree next to my room?"

_She'd known!_

She let him go. "Of course, your life doesn't totally revolve around me," she said airily. "But admit it or not, you've let protecting me become a huge chunk of your life." Her eyes bored into his. "Too big a chunk."

Darien met her gaze squarely. "There are worse things to devote my life to."

They stared at each other. Serena looked away first.

"I don't want you staying for me." She stared at the floor as they stepped from foot to foot.

"You're being the hypocrite here now," Darien told her lightly. "You want me to do what _I _want, but now you're saying that I should go because _you_ don't want me to stay for you."

"Darien, this isn't a _joke_!" Serena stopped swaying to the music and gazed up at him. "I've been trying to show you all week that I can take care of myself! You don't have to worry about me or about the Dark Kingdom, _I'll take care of it_. You can go to Yale and be the normal, extraordinary person you deserve to be."

"So that's why you've been running around like Wonder Woman all week?" Darien murmured, but quickly sobered at the betrayed look in her eyes. "Sorry – Serena. Look. I've made the decision, okay?"

If anything, all her words tonight had only convinced him more of the fact that he was not going to leave her. She wanted so much for him to be happy, how would he find another person in America like that? Who would be so angry at him that they pounded his forehead with theirs? Who would be so brave that they ignored their fear of hell to make him follow his dream? "I'm not going."

"_Darien – _" Her eyes were despairing.

"No, listen to me." Suddenly one of his hands had moved from her waist to her face, against the soft skin of her cheek. The face was all wrong, eyes and hair too dark for his Odango, but the expression was all her. "Wouldn't you miss me if I left?"

His voice was dark and thick as chocolate. Serena stared up at him, her breath caught in her throat –

"NO! PLEASE – !"

The scream keened through the air. Serena stared at Darien for one more long, tortured second, then spun.

The music screeched to a nauseating silence. The whole room had gone silent, except for the scuffling from onstage, next to the DJ booth. The light from the booth was dim, but there was no mistaking the golden hair of the Senshi onstage or the red curls of the girl she held pinioned in her arms, a jeweled chain noosed around her neck.

"_Molly_!" Horror bleached Serena's voice.

"Quiet!" Sailor Venus's command rang through the room. Her blue eyes swept across the sea of faces, scrutinizing, examining, dismissing. Threatening. "Now listen to me. Listen all of you! This girl will die in two minutes unless Serena Tsukino comes up here to me NOW."

Gasps erupted all over the room. Serena would have made some sound, too, except Darien's hand was now pressed tightly over her mouth.

"Mocha," he whispered. "Come on – "

Serena shook her head viciously and scratched at his hand with her nails, trying to claw it away even as she began to run forward, to elbow through the crowd –

"Come out or she dies!"

Darien grabbed her waist with his other hand. Quietly, invisibly, he melted backwards into the crowd of high schoolers with Serena pressed against him.   
He backed out of a door in the very back of the shadowy gym, a single drop of sweat trickling down his temple as he prayed to God no one noticed them –

"Then where is Darien Shields?" Venus's voice rang out again, fury and desperation bubbling within it. "WHERE ARE THEY?"

Darien broke into a sprint, Serena hanging onto his neck for dear life.

Her fingers, cold and shaking, fumbled into his where they grasped her waist. She shoved something into him. Her voice was as shaky as her hands. "You need a disguise – Luna Pen, turn Darien into someone else – "

Smoke exploded, but something went wrong. When the smoke cleared, Darien saw his reflection in Serena's eyes, and he definitely didn't look like himself – he had freckles and red hair – but the irises around his reflection were blue. And Serena's hair was gold. And in odangoes.

She had transformed back!

"No…" She stared down at the Luna Pen in panicked consternation. "Luna Pen – !"

Darien reached the car and threw himself into the driver's seat. He started the car without bothering to move her from his lap; she scrambled over to the passenger seat on her own. He yanked the car into reverse and squealed out of the parking lot. She opened her mouth –

The windshield exploded in.

– screaming as a hand shot into the car and closed around her collar.

Darien stomped the brakes. He was prepared for it; he pitched forward but caught himself on the steering wheel and pushed himself back against his seat.

Serena wasn't so lucky. She flew forward into the windshield, breaking fresh spiderweb cracks into it. Blood smeared the glass. And worse yet, the hand was still clenched in her collar.

Slowly, it began to pull her.

"_So here's our little fugitive_…"

Serena moaned dazedly as the hand dragged her over the splinters of glass scattered on the dashboard. Darien lurched forward to grab her, but then she let out a splitting scream, and he flinched back.

Which immediately revealed itself to be a poor decision. The hand was pulling Serena out through the hole it had made in the windshield.

The sharp, jagged, broken glass hole.

He shot out of the car. Slammed into the thing perched on his car's hood and threw it to the sidewalk.

Zoicite laughed up at him as he pinned her to the cement. "_Do not get mixed up in this, boy._"

Of course, he was still under the Luna Pen's disguise. He hesitated between Zoicite and the car, uncertain. He had to get Serena out, but if he didn't deal with Zoicite first, Zoicite would just attack him from behind while he tried to get Serena out.

"_Go on, finish the job for me,_" Zoicite said, as if sensing his dilemma. "_It's much more fun when you'll be the one dragging her flesh through each razor-tipped edge._"

Serena cried out. "No…'m fine…" She panted. Blood painted her eyelids like red eyeshadow. Her breaths were short and shallow. "Get…her…"

One of her arms were already out; she stilled for a moment, steadying herself. Cloth tore along with something else. A scream tore out of her. Her other arm was free.

Darien was at her side in a second. "No…stop…" he said helplessly.

Serena seemed not to hear him. Her whole body shook like a leaf. A fresh layer of warm blood crept across the glass from her freed arm.

What did he do? Not just yank her out. Break more glass. Make the space larger. He punched the windshield with a strangled cry.

Serena screamed again, her eyelids flying open. Her eyes had rolled back in her head; she looked like a creature from a horror film.

Gurgles spilled out of her mouth. _More _blood trickled out – no, how? He was trying to _fix_ it – he punched the windshield again, it wasn't large enough yet –

She screamed and screamed until finally a word tumbled out of the crazed howls   
"No…_STOP!_"

He understood at once, with horror – his punching of the windshield had driven glass deeper into her body –

"_Entertaining as this is, I have a schedule. Move._" Zoicite closed her fist and opened it – the whole windshield shattered into pencil-sized shards and flew outwards. Serena screamed again as the shards that had buried themselves inside her flesh tore out again.

Darien only half-heard her; the shooting outward of the shards had sent a dozen of them tearing through his own body. He stared down at his stomach, where holes had appeared and red blossomed on his white dress shirt –

Gold sparks sprayed out like sparklers.

"_YOU!"_ Glee, not outrage, colored Zoicite's voice. He looked up, found her staring intently at him. Her empty eyes had darkened and contracted like a shark's in a feeding frenzy. "_My Queen – my Queen, I have found him!"_

She stepped over Serena's body without sparing the blonde a glance, her eyes hungrily fastened to Darien. "_I will bring him. I will bring him to you!"_

Rose petals exploded outwards; Tuxedo Mask stood there glaring at the Dark Kingdom general.

Zoicite's feet stopped. She took a step backward. Tuxedo Mask bared his teeth in feral satisfaction.

A sentiment that quickly disappeared as Zoicite's hand closed around Serena's throat.

She raised an eyebrow amusedly at him and lifted Serena into the air.

"Let her go!"

"…run…" rasped Serena. Her robin's egg blue eyes, impossibly, glared out from the red mask drying on her face, screwed-up and tearing. "Dar…ien…please…"

"NO!" Tuxedo Mask shouted, his hands flying to his ears. He tore his eyes from Serena and stared straight at Zoicite. His voice was hoarse. "Let her go. You want me, don't you?"

Zoicite eyed him disdainfully. "_No_, Queen Beryl_ wants you_."

She took another step backward. A swirling black vortex appeared behind her: a portal. She paused thoughtfully, sliding one gloved finger through the blood that coated Serena's arms.

"Let her go," he said again. His voice throbbed. "I'll do anything if you don't hurt her."

"_Exactly_." Zoicite smiled. "_Which is why I'll be bringing her along_."

She stepped into the portal with Serena. They sank into inky darkness, Serena's golden hair billowing outside for an instant before it was swallowed up, too.

Tuxedo Mask didn't even pause to snatch one last glance of the school, its familiar hallways and sheltering trees, before throwing himself into the black vortex. Which was sad, reader, because he would never see that dear old school again.

L

The portal spat him out into a cave. How he knew that it was a cave was not at that time clear to him, but he knew without doubt that it was a cave. He could feel the pressure all around them, the tremendous, smothering weight of ancient stone that had existed when Adam and Eve still drew breath.

He crashed into rock, his back slamming into a stalagmite. He fought quickly to his feet, ignoring the dizziness that pounded at him like invisible fists.

"You might have let him land more gently, Zoicite."

This was a new voice. He analyzed it in his mind as he squinted into the darkness that soaked his surroundings. Raspy, old, contemptuous. Familiar…

Light seeped into his eyes. Gray and smoky…gold glinted. Serena. He lurched forward.

"Bring them down."

Now the gold was moving. Bobbing up and down. He forced his legs to pick up speed, quickening – the ground disappeared from beneath him. He pitched forward. He realized as he collided with yet more unyielding stone that these were stairs, winding downward.

Without waiting for his head to stop spinning, for the light before him was disappearing, he half-slithered, half-tripped down the steps.

At last the floor evened out. He rolled to his feet, squinting. Here the grey light mingled with an orangey glow – a huge blimp-like orange mass writhed like an embryonic sac at one end of the cavern. Black shadow undulated within it.

But this did not interest Darien. His attention glued to the three figures that stood in the middle of the cavern. One bent over the figure with golden hair spilled around it. The scrabbling sounds of their struggle echoed in the yawning rock.

"No!" Tuxedo Mask burst into a run. If Zoicite took Serena's brooch, she wouldn't be able to transform! How would she heal then?

Zoicite laughed. Even as his fingers brushed her arms, something cold and huge tore into him. He looked down in shock to see a shard of crystal as thick as a tree trunk protruding from his abdomen.

He toppled backward. The crystal hit the floor first, and his body slid a foot down it before it reached the ground.

Searing pain he'd never known before. Exploding – someone had set a fire cracker off in his stomach. Golden sparks buzzed about like bees, but they couldn't move the missile from his body.

His shaking hands approached the crystal. He forced his fingers to close around it. As sweat broke out across his forehead, he thought dimly that his situation was the reversal of what Serena's had been, he had something sticking inside him, she had been stuck inside something.

The crystal didn't want to be pulled out. He grunted wildly. Before he could let himself think about it, he _pushed _the crystal instead, forcing it back into the gaping hole of torn flesh.

Through, through – oh God how far did it have to go why wasn't it coming out already his own hand was inside the hole now pushing inside the too warm too soft mass of organs it was like sticking his finger down his throat he wanted to gag

And it was out. His abdomen spasmed as though gasping. He fell forward and retched. He wanted to throw up, but the organ that contained his bile wasn't attached to his esophagus anymore. But blood was there aplenty, and it gushed from his mouth like vomit as the sparks went busily to work.

"Oh, for God's sake, Endymion."

That voice again. It must belong to the third figure… he ignored it.

At last, the vomiting stopped. Saliva dripped sluggishly from his panting mouth. He laid his feverish face against the cool rock and scraped the strings away.

Something touched his face. He jerked away, panting.

Then let out a sudden cry, a wordless apology, as he realized – it was Serena's finger that had brushed his forehead, Serena that had dragged her leaking body across the floor to comfort him. He latched onto that blood-slick hand and smashed it against his face.

"Odango…" Pleading, despairing. Her eyes were falling closed, though her fingernails dug into his hand. With his free hand, he flailed out for the string between them. He found it and tangled his fingers through it. Her eyelids snapped open, and she stared up at him. Her irises were jagged with pain.

A hiss slapped the air.

His eyes, so concerned on Serena's form, now snapped to the side. There was Zoicite, and there, beside her, was a human skeleton.

She had reddish hair twisting like serpents out of her skull, and fangs denting her lower lip, and skin stretched tightly across her bones, and age-eaten shreds of dark silk hanging from her figure, but Darien took note of none of this. What his eyes took in was the object she was tossing up and down in her claw-like hands.

Serena's brooch.

When she saw Darien's eyes on it, she gripped it tightly and lifted it to her mouth. Then she licked it. Red liquid clung to her lips. His newly born stomach heaved. His arms closed reflexively around Serena.

"Queen Beryl, I presume?" he said it so coolly, with such perfect uncaring, that Beryl took a step back.

Then she smiled. "You remember me? That's auspicious. I was concerned you might have the same loss of memory Senshi seem to have sustained."

Her tongue flicked out as she did; it was forked and made her words hiss. She had fangs as pointy as the calciferous spikes that rose up out of her shoulders.

"Well, actually, your minion called you Queen Beryl, so…" he trailed off obviously. _Stay calm. Sound casual. Stop panicking. Stop panicking._

"Ah, Zoicite?" Beryl tossed a careless glance in the general's direction. "Yes. She's really just an extension of my soul, you know. If you'd employed that technique on your Shittenou at the beginning, they wouldn't have come over to me at all, you know."

This was a lot for Darien to sort out and try to comprehend. Serena was struggling to rise in his arms, and he pulled her back down distractedly.

Beryl's sunken eyes zeroed in on the motion. Her forked tongue flicked out. "Take off that ridiculous thing," she said suddenly. She meant his mask.

He stared at her. There were klaxons ringing in his brain the longer he looked at her. That dreadful sense of familiarity was growing, stirring like an awoken basilisk. He focused on the wrinkles in her face, the papery transparency of her skin, focusing on how old and ugly she was. How vulnerable.

"Take if off, I said."

He glared at her, not obeying. _I'm in charge of the situation. I'm in charge of the situation._

She leaned forward, her hair the color of dried blood as it spilled over her ashy shoulders. "You have not changed a bit," she hissed. "Still as pigheaded as ever, aren't you? Defiant…but that's what makes you so appealing, you lovely man."

_Or maybe I'm not. _Darien recoiled backward, arms tightening unconsciously around Serena. This woman _looked _like she was eighty-five and had to be far older than that, yet she was eyeing him, a seventeen-year-old, like a morsel of meat.

"And even now you prefer a moon brat!" She spat suddenly. Her eyes poured venom onto Serena's form. "Tell me, Endymion, what does your precious princess think of your relationship with this Sailor Moon? In fact, tell me – where _is_ the dear princess?"

Darien was still stuck on her first sentence. "Hang on!" he sputtered. "I'm not Endymion!"

She laughed, dry and papery. "Not Endymion? Darling, I never knew you to be such a comedian."

"No, really, I'm not!" Darien assured her. Perhaps if she realized that he wasn't Endymion, she would let them go – "I'm not him – "

"No, of course not," said the woman indulgently. "You're just his reincarnation, but that's enough for me."

"NO!" Darien shouted. _I'm not a murderer! _"I'm not his reincarnation either!"

"Then how do you explain those golden sparks?" countered Beryl. "Give up the charade, Endymion. Unless you truly expect me to believe a random mortal has come into possession of the Golden Crystal."

Darien felt Serena slackening in his arms. "Don't you mean the Silver Crystal?" Panic was beginning to grip his voice, shaking it. Was Serena dying? She'd lost so much blood… _Please don't let her die, please, God…_

Beryl stared at him. "My God," she finally said. "You actually don't know. You've lost your memory just like those damn Senshi."

"I'm not Endymion!" Darien insisted stubbornly, though uncertainty was beginning to scuttle through him. Venus had shouted the name Endymion when she whipped him… "Prove it!"

"I already have. Several times over." She sashayed closer. With a gnarled finger, she reached down past a tensed Serena and touched his stomach. He hissed and flinched away, less from the leftover pain of the wound than from revulsion. "Each time Venus or Zoicite drew blood from you. You, Endymion, are the prince of Earth, and the royalty of Earth control the Golden Crystal. Those golden sparks are manifestations of the crystal's power."

The image was strange, this woman who had been the one behind all their grief and anguish for the past half a year, now lecturing like a professor. She quickly shattered the image, though, hissing in fury. "Endymion was in control of the Golden Crystal before he threw his life away for that little moon slut!"

She paused. "But now, Endymion…" Beryl took his chin in her paper hand. A stench like wet, moldy library books wafted from her. "My dear, dear Endymion…you and I are never leaving each others' sides again."

Her hand darted with lightning speed from his chin to behind his ear, clutching the side of his face. He flinched, his mind screamed – _I'm a minor! I'm a minor!_

He whipped his head away from her seeking mouth, hiding his face within Serena's hair. It seemed almost sacrilegious that a flowery scent still clung to the soft strands when blood was crusted so thick along her scalp.

"STOP THAT!" The old woman's shriek reverberated through the echoing cavern. She kicked Serena away from him – what worried Darien more than anything was that Serena didn't even make a noise – and dug a calloused bare foot into his chest.

Beryl leaned down to rip his mask off. Her talon-like fingernails scraped skin from his face as she did so, and little firecrackers of yellow sparks erupted.

"Ah…" She sighed. "Yes, it is you, Endymion."

She leaned down once more to kiss him. He pressed his back deep into the stone, willing it to swallow him up. Then something slithered down his arm. Black and taut, it slid into his fingers and hardened. A familiar _shikk_ noise reached his ears.

Suddenly knowing what to do, he wrapped an arm around the old woman as though to hold her closer.

She sucked in a breath, eyes glittering feverishly down at him –

Then he slammed his cane-blade down into her back.

Black blood spurted out of her chest and onto him, then fountained forth from her lips onto his face and neck. He twisted out from under her, gingerly grabbing the hilt of his cane to turn her back onto her stomach so that he could withdraw the blade (and also so that he would not have to see her dead eyes.) Her body jerked convulsively one more time as he pulled the blade free, then lay still.

Everything lay silent and still for a moment. He looked around. Zoicite stood in the corner, but she was not moving. She stood very still, but her eyes were swirling in a strange way. She was not moving now, but something told him she would be very soon – if he didn't put a stop to it.

Regretting what he had to do, not wanting to do it, he lifted his blade again.

That was the instant Zoicite's hand shot out and gripped his wrist.

His eyes shot to the general's face. The swirling had frozen, and Zoicite's eyes flickered strangely.

"Forgive – me – " gasped out the general. Crystal flickered into existence in her gloved hands. "Prince – "

Then she severed her legs, then her arms, and crumpled to the floor.

Darien stared in pure shock at the appendages rolling to a stop on the floor. Then at the lump of a torso with the blank-faced head.

He wanted to vomit again.

He swallowed hard, instead, and stumbled back to Serena, falling to his knees and crawling the last few feet.

He couldn't see her chest moving. He scrabbled for her pulse. Slow, so slow. His head dropped to hers.

"Odango, transform," he begged in a whisper. It had totally escaped him that she didn't have her locket anymore. He wasn't thinking at that point. There was less awareness in him than in a drunkard. He sank into himself and scrabbled blindly for the string connecting them. His blood-slicked palms couldn't find it, they slipped and slid through empty air. He needed her so badly, needed to see her eyes staring up at him so he could convince himself that he'd had to do to Zoicite what he'd just did to protect her. But if she was already dead, it was for nothing.

Gurgle.

He turned, slowly. Dreading what he would find.

But the dismembered limbs and amputated torso littering the floor were all still.

Reluctantly, his gaze moved upward. The orange membrane was undulating. Stretching and bulging like an embryonic sac. Then it split, exhaled a colossal whoosh of black smoke.

His hand crept back to Serena.

Then the dragging, maniacal laughter began. It rang in the cavern, soft at first but growing louder. Then the hag's body jerked up.

His other hand gripped his cane as he half-rose. Her eyes were still empty; the blood had congealed around her mouth in crusty bits. She tottered toward him, then suddenly changed course, veering toward one of the body parts on the ground. She bent jerkily, clawed in the gray material.

"Ah…" Her voice was gravel as she emerged with Serena's brooch. Darien stepped forward; she crammed it in her mouth. Her jaws crunched down on it. Bits of yellowed enamel showered from her mouth like bread crumbs.

Darien pressed Serena's face against his shirt. And it was none too soon. Scintillating white light exploded. Darien clenched his eyelids closed, but not soon enough –

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Each individual blood vessel popping in his eyeballs, his optic nerves sizzling back into his brain like red-hot safety pins, the moisture lubricating his eyeballs vaporizing –

"Oooh, that was quite the rush." He heard the voice, as the pain ghosted away like an afterimage of the sun. But all he could see was the negative of that blinding white light: black. Blackness, blackness.

"Did that hurt you, little prince?"

A laugh. Damn it, he couldn't see her –

"Yes, it did, didn't it? Now you know the pain I felt after what that witch's crystal did to me – power, that's what it is."

What was she doing? He tried to follow her movement with his ears, but in the echoing cave, her voice came at him from all directions. She could be anywhere. He squinted, but that didn't push the blackness away.

"But not enough. It was empty. Where is this one's Seed? I will have it, before that greedy wench comes for the others, I will have it. And you my young prince – you'll tell me where that princess is, before I have yours, too."

Her voice sounded louder. She was closer?

"That wench isn't getting the Moon Seed, no, no, and she won't have yours either."

Yes, the footsteps were coming closer, he could hear them. He scrambled to his feet. The loss of his vision felt like a tangible thing, like a sudden weight glued to his face; he staggered, off balance, as he snatched Serena up and began to run.

He had no idea where the staircase was, nor any other exit – but he couldn't let that monster near Serena – he hugged her body tight to him, there it was, suddenly, the string! He tangled his fingers through it, clenched it tight, pulled and pulled.

He felt the flutter of her eyelashes against his neck.

"…hurts!" She buried a scream in his collarbone.

She was awake! She was awake! His mind shoved aside for the moment the fact that she was still on death's door in order to revel in her consciousness.

"Darien…" Her moan cracked halfway through his name. "Please…put – down…!"

"I can't," he whispered. "Odango, I can't – "

Her cry shrilled out again, as his foot caught in a crevice and his arms tightened reflexively around her.

"Serena," he pleaded wildly, "Serena, I can't – "

He tripped again, and this time he couldn't catch himself. They went sprawling.

She was out of his arms. He pushed himself up on his elbows and scrabbled across the rock floor. Rough, rough, rough –

"Dar…ien…"

Over there! No, there. Wait – this way?

"Serena?"

"AARRG – !"

A scream – cut off.

"Oh, my. What a stubborn meal. All that blood and she can still kick like that?"

Horror. Flooding his veins.

"Oh…salty. Very salty."

"Give her back!" He leapt to his feet. Which direction to yell in? To charge towards? "GIVE HER BACK!"

"Come and get her." Something brushed his arm. Insubstantial and phantom-like. It wrapped around his head like a turban, darkening the blackness behind his eyes to an even deeper pitch. "Come in and get her, little prince…"

"SERENA!" He yelled as loudly as he could. "SERENA!"

"She can't hear you until you come in…come in, little prince…" Another tendril coiled around his leg. "…come in…"

He lunged against the thick tendrils, heaving all his weight towards the direction he sensed Serena's terror pouring from – his hands stretched, reaching – it caught a hand, clenched it –

Then, suddenly, the tendrils' pressure disappeared. And so did the ground underneath his feet. A fleeting second of free-fall – then hard, cold floor slammed against him. His hand flew to his head – but no, there was nothing there. Just his hair, his face…no tendrils.

He blinked, rapidly. Perhaps – but no. He still couldn't see a damn thing. Just blackness squeezing his eyeballs until he was sure they would pop out of their sockets.

He could hear breathing. From beside him. And it was then he realized Serena's hand was still in his.

"Serena!"

Her voice, faint and bewildered. "You're – "

Clicking. Coming towards them. High heels. Mars? Had the Senshi saved them? No way –

Pain exploded in his gut. A foot, slamming into him – it crunched into his ribs again, he rolled away – lurched to his feet, dragging his arms up into a guard stance –

But he was guarding from the wrong direction. Something harder than a crowbar smashed into him, and he toppled back.

Only for the floor to disappear from beneath him again.

L

L


	33. Changes

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon does not belong to me. She belongs to Tuxedo Mask. In, of course, a nonmachiavellian, totally girl-empowered sort of way.

A/N: Not to start the chapter out on a sour note, but the review feedback on the last two chapters was pitiful. Those were each fifty-page chapters. Added together they had almost two thousand hits but only sixty reviews. I'm going to leave that at that and make your own conclusions.

For those of you who DID leaves reviews, thank you so much. I can't tell you how much they meant, especially the ones that told me how you felt about the characters and what they were going through. Serenity-hime, you were, literally, my third-first reviewer ever, and here you still are, cheering me on and leaving lovely corpulent reviews. Thank you SO MUCH.

L

Subject to Change

Chapter Thirty-Three: Changes

L

Lita raced out of the gym, tearing through a jungle of chiffons and crinolines and silks. She barreled through the doors and swung up into a tree. Lightning flashed and Sailor Jupiter dropped back down to the cement transformed with bracelets of electricity crackling down her arms and hissing like snakes.

Lightning-fast motion snatched her eye, but not in time to save her. A hand seized her throat.

"Where is she?" Venus hissed up at her, lifting her into the air and boring into her with radioactive eyes. She slammed Jupiter down. "She was supposed to be here!"

Jupiter lashed out with her foot. Venus plowed into the ground. Jupiter grabbed her throat.

"You tell me!" she snarled. "What did you do to them?"

"I did nothing!" Venus shouted, digging her nails into Jupiter's fist. "Neither was here!"

"You didn't do anything?" sneered Jupiter. "Then how do you explain that?" She wrenched Venus's head in the direction of the parking lot, where, lit under a street light, sat a smashed and glass-littered red sports car.

Venus's intake of breath was an asthmatic rasp under the pressure of Jupiter's grip. Her expression flickered several times before stilling back into her impassive stoniness. She pointed.

"What?" Jupiter glanced in her finger's direction, at the sport's car.

Venus dug her thumb into Jupiter's wrist to loosen her hold. "A portal," she said hoarsely, inhaling.

"Venus!"

A dark shape leapt atop Venus's shoulder. Reddish eyes glowed out, and rustles came from the bushes. Sailor Mercury tumbled out of the bushes after the cat, and Mars stalked out of them a second later. Both had reddened eyes, as though they had been crying.

"What were you thinking?" Luna demanded of Venus. Jupiter saw dark spots appearing on Venus's white sleeve where the cat's claws dug in. "How could you confront Sailor Moon without asking me – "

During all this, Venus's hand had not dropped. Venus, indeed, seemed not even to have registered Luna's presence. She was still as death, pointing at the mauled car.

Luna followed it, and her words cut off.

She leapt down from Venus's shoulder and bounded towards the car. "COME!" she shrieked.

Jupiter, strangely enough, was the quickest to follow, bolting after the black cat. Her movement snapped Venus back to life, and she blurred after them; Mars, not to be left behind, sprinted after, and Mercury was left to shamble in their wake.

"No!" Venus bellowed as Luna screeched to a stop. She was blacker than shadow in the moonless night, but she looked gray against the night sky behind her – wait, that wasn't night sky –

"A portal!" Luna hissed in agitation. Her fur stood on end. "You know what this means, Venus!"

"_No_, it is not – "

"The Dark Kingdom has shown their hand," Luna interrupted, eyes glowing. "This is Mask's vehicle. That is a Dark Kingdom portal. They've left, and with a struggle. They must have the princess!"

"No, they don't – "

But Venus was too late. Lita had already leapt in after the word "portal" and Luna, with a yowl, had shot after her. Mars seized Mercury by the bicep and leapt in, too.

Venus stared in horror.

"NO!" she shouted. "DAMN IT!"

Then she jumped in after them.

L

Minako sensed his presence before she tumbled out of the portal. A point of light in a sea of dark. A lighthouse in an ocean.

Youma surrounded him. The portal had regurgitated them into Beryl's throne room, and a sea of youma swarmed within it. Malachite stood isolated on the dais.

Battle cries rang out already, bursts of fire and flashes of electricity sizzling across her retinas. Mars' new attacks consumed youma by the pairs, and a thick fog was rolling over youma, freezing them in their tracks, and _crack_ingfilled the air, mixing with hisses and crackles to make a deafening static, and Venus was shocked to feel a rusty feeling cranking to life within her.

Pride. It was pride.

But there was no time for it. No time even to think, to calculate in her mind if she should hold back because Beryl would be angry – that feeling, lit to motion within her, began to spin, spinning and spinning and whirling and shrieking, and so was she, whirling and shrieking like a dervish, hurling out golden sparks of death with every degree. Damn Beryl to hell, these were her Senshi, this was power, this was death, this was what they had been made to do.

It may have been hours or days before the youma all lay still and Venus's consciousness widened from the narrow tunnel vision she had plunged into. But judging from her Senshi's skills, she was thinking that it was more like minutes.

She lifted her head, sweat dripping down her bangs into her eyes. Something zinged through her, painful and sharp, like the sting of a bow string snapping.

A firebird hurtled towards Malachite. Its maw gaped in flames, its beak sharp as an arrow.

"NO!"

Was the scream from her? She heard it as though from a distance, as she tore towards him – a horrible holler ripped out of his chest and entwined with the wail spilling out of her throat.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

She couldn't even get to him – she slipped on his blood and went sprawling feet away, her cheek slamming into the rock floor. She scrabbled up and scrambled to him.

He lay on the ground, eyes rolled back in his head so that only white showed. Black and gold light crackled across his form, wrestling fiercely with one another until finally something bright as a shooting star bulleted out of the gaping hole of his chest and sucked the golden light away from it, tailing like a comet.

Minako knew what it was, and she shot to her feet, stumbling, grasping drunkenly across the floor for it and grabbing it. "Malachite, no, Malachite, Malachite…" The words gushed out of her mouth without her notice as she ran. She pleaded with him, sobbing as she shoved at his chest, trying to push the object that had shot out back in.

After a minute, his eyes rolled back into their spot. But the pupils had bled outward; his eyes were black. They looked down at the golden head.

"_Idiot princess of Venus_," he said. His hand rose, flicked.

Venus shot backwards as though an invisible wall had rammed into her and crushed her against the cavern wall. She slid slowly down the rock, leaving behind a glistening black trail.

"She was in league with them all along!" Mars' scream pierced out suddenly. "Just like Serena!"

"No…Mars…you don't understand…" Venus's voice smeared with tears as she struggled to her feet, using the bloody rock behind her to help her. It left a black, tarry stain on her gloves.

"I understand perfectly! This is a trap! You led us here to die!" Mars' voice sounded as though it was peeling her throat apart.

"_You are exactly right, Sailor Mars_." Malachite flicked his hand again, and all four Senshi slammed into the wall. "_Venus was the instrument of your downfall_."

"Malachite…" Venus pleaded. "Malachite, wha - ?" Her question died as her ribs crunched suddenly inward. She doubled, vomiting black.

"_How does it feel_?' Malachite smiled. "_To be killed by the one you love_?_ The moon brat will find out how it feels, too, very soon – _"

Thunder rumbled suddenly. A huge stalagmite behind Malachite crashed down; at the same time, he yelled and crouched – then crumpled. His body crumbled into dust.

"_Malachite!_" Venus screamed. She struggled, stumbled up –

Luna slammed into her chest. "Give me one reason I shouldn't slit you!" she snarled. "ONE REASON!"

"Kill me!" Venus screamed at her. "Kill me!"

"This place is caving in." Mars spat out blood, eyes aflame. "Leave her here. Let her _die_ in this pit."

Luna raked her claws across Minako's face. Black stripes sprang up. The cat leapt nimbly down, then darted to the pile of ashes and spat on them.

A growl escaped Minako, but she was on her knees. Black blood pooled around her, dripping from her mouth, her face.

"Mercury! Let's go!" Mars ordered, beelining for a set upward curving stairs carved into the rock, for the portal had vanished.

Lita watched them go. The stalagmites crashing down all around her warned her that she should follow them, and quickly.

She looked at Venus.

"Go," the blonde mumbled from beneath her hair. Her words were wet and sticky.

Lita didn't move.

"You're going to die," the blonde said.

"Since when do you care?" said Lita, but she moved towards Venus. She slung the Senshi's arm around her neck and lifted her. God, she was lighter than Serena!

"No." Venus was definitely slurring now, her body twisting away like an eel. "Leave me alone…just let me die."

"You're not gonna die," said Lita impatiently, grabbing her by the waist and securing her arm again. She began to drag her along toward the stairs.

"Do not tell me that…" Venus's head lolled. "Pluto…why did you let her…? Pluto…!" Her body shook, and Lita realized she was sobbing.

"Um…shh," she said awkwardly. "It's okay…"

"I've given everything to her!" Mina cried out. "I would have killed her, Pluto! I would have given my soul for her again. Why couldn't you have killed me…"

"Mina…" Lita stared down at the golden hair.

The Senshi's head lolled back. Water-filmed blue eyes stared at Lita.

"Jupiter," she said. "He did not kill her. I see now why they must be together. Jupiter, you must protect them – both of them. She will not – she will not, Jupiter, you must, he did not kill her. _She_ killed herself. And I – I tried to save her, Jupiter, I tried to do it, I turned the sword around and stabbed her, but it was too late!"

"Shhh." Lita urged her, as much for Venus's own health as for her own. Her head was spinning. And she still had no clue where Serena was –

They had reached the top of the stairs. The world was white all around – except for the roiling black sky swirling above them. Jupiter set Mina down, shielding her from the chill wind with her body –

And that was when it all exploded.

L

The Senshi watching over the time stream was not a being to be disturbed lightly. The Senshi who had been sent to this solar system had taken that into consideration. So had her superiors, who had warned her not to reveal her presence to Pluto unless the most desperate of situations demanded it. So this Senshi had not approached Pluto when Luna of Mau's unexpected actions brought about a dangerous turn of events, nor when Sailor Venus made an unexpected and unwelcome appearance.

Now, however, she had entered Chronos' Realm. Now was the time to reveal herself to Pluto. And reveal what must be done.

"No. Now is not the time."

The Senshi spun. A figure seeped out of the grey fog. Sailor Pluto stood before her, dark and grim as death. She lacked the horns and fangs that she had been drawn with in the fairy tales books the Senshi had read as a child, but more menace hung around this version than that one.

"Now is not the time," Sailor Pluto repeated. The fog all around them was spinning. Circles were forming, cyclones of color.

The outside Senshi gathered herself. "Senshi Pluto, I'm Sailor – "

"I know who you are," Pluto cut in. "And you are not welcome here. The time is not now, or ever."

"She's dying!" said the other Senshi. "You have to do something!"

"You've fought Chaos creatures like Metallia for eight centuries," said Pluto. "Why don't you get rid of her?"  
The Senshi's fists clenched. Pluto smiled faintly.

"Because that's not what the Council sent you for." She turned to watch the images swirling around them. "Unless, of course, the princess's life is put in danger, but if that situation arises, your orders are first to seek me out and convince me to return her memories." A small chuckle drifted out into the still air. "To 'reveal yourself to me.' Has the High Council grown so ignorant that they believe I would not detect an outsider in this system? Not to mention that the threads wove your arrival eons ago."

The Senshi glowered. This was not at all going according to plan.

"So you're just going to let the princess die?" she challenged.

Pluto, who had been stroking her staff with her thumb, stilled. The grey mist swirling around them seemed to thicken.

"You believe that I would let my princess die?"

The other Senshi stayed silent but jutted her chin out.

Pluto narrowed her eyes at her. "There is a time suspension field freezing time within her body. She will not lose any more blood until the spell is lifted."

"If you can do that, why not just accelerate time within her body to heal it?"

Scorn curled Pluto's lips. "Three of her ribs are snapped, one has punctured a lung; her shoulder is dislocated, and there are slivers of glass and stone embedded in her skin. What would happen if I allowed her bones to regrow in their current positions and foreign objects to stay within her flesh?"

The Senshi frowned, flushing slightly. She was a veteran among her own, and not accustomed to such condescension. This was REALLY not going according to her plan.

"The downside," continued Pluto, "is that she is now unable to move the parts of her body the field encompasses."

"So you're just letting her lie there unable to move while Metallia absorbs her body," translated the intruder Senshi.

"No," said Pluto. "The suspension field won't last forever."

"Then you're returning her memories so she can use the crystal to defeat Metallia."

"Keep dreaming." A small smile crossed Pluto's face as she said this, and it only incensed the other Senshi further.

"She has to summon the crystal, Pluto! She will summon it! You can't fight the prophecy!"

Pluto turned to face the other Senshi squarely. "Do you know how many Chaos entities will come tearing into this system when they sense the Crystal's reawakening?"

"Of course I know," said the other coldly. "As you're so obviously aware of, I've been out fighting them for the past eight centuries, unlike certain Senshi who have stayed safely in their hidden dimensions – "

"You know how many of them there are, how powerful they are, and what they're capable of," cut in Pluto, "yet you want to sic them on my princess."

"When it's a choice between her and the trillion innocents in the galaxy, yes, I do," snapped the Senshi. "Try as hard as you want, Sailor Pluto, this is what she was born for. Even you can't change the prophecy."

Pluto reached down and slid a key from the belt hanging around her hips. The other Senshi followed the movement warily with her eyes.

"What are you doing?"

Pluto lifted a finger to her lips. Her eyes were swirling like a hurricane. The other Senshi took a step back.

Pluto pointed her staff at one of the portals. The eddying colors within it slowed, and revealed the image of Endymion as he was right now, clad in a tuxedo and being crushed within Metallia's snakelike black aura as he grabbed Serenity's hand.

Then Endymion wasn't in the portal anymore, he was floating in midair above them. All according to Pluto's plan. Except –

Both Senshi's eyes widened. Serenity's reincarnation lay crumpled on the ground right beside Endymion's, their hands clasped.

Endymion was struggling up. With disbelief pouring off him, he lifted his free hand to his face, his eyes. They were pupil-less, iris-less, white-less – they were pure gold, as though they'd been dipped in a vat of the precious metal. They were unsettling.

Serenity was moving. Lifting her head.

His blind eyes turned toward her. "Serena!"

Serenity was staring at them. At the two Senshi. "You're – "

Pluto blurred into motion. Her booted foot slammed into Enydmion's gut, and he barely got to his feet in defense before she swung her staff into him. He flew backwards, dissolving into the swirling colors behind him.

Serenity gasped and fought to her feet. Her eyes flashed hatred –

But Pluto touched one long finger to her forehead, and Serenity sank to her knees. Silver peeked out from beneath her sinking lids.

"Pluto…" she murmured, then was out cold.

Pluto sank to her knees and reached out towards the princess's hair-hidden face. Her hands trembled. "_Hime-sama_…" she whispered.

"So you'll take away her memory of this, too?" The other Senshi looked on without sympathy, arms crossed. "It's no wonder she's so dim, all the brain cells you're depriving her of."

If the ploy was meant to goad Pluto into returning her princess's memories, it failed. The dark Senshi rose to her feet. Her eyes swirled like the maelstroms of motion that surrounded them.

"_You know too little of your own universe."_ A chorus of voices, high and low, loud and soft, spilled from her mouth. She brushed the hair from her princess's face. "_The Silver Crystal is not the only way to defeat Metallia_."

L

_It was yet another youma attack in the park. Sailor Jupiter had just freed the young mother from Fish-Eye's mirror and returned her dream. Sailor Moon fighting Fish-Eye back, sweat dripping from her face._

_And it was then that the black shape plummeted out of the sky._

_Sailor Jupiter's head snapped around to scrutinize it; Fish-Eye planted a kick smack in Sailor Moon's middle and sent her flying backwards so that he, too, could turn to watch the strange meteorite._

_Thus Sailor Moon, wincing and panting, was the last to see the shape. But she was the first to realize what it was._

_"Oh, God! Oh, God…!" She fought to her feet._

_"What the hell…?" muttered Jupiter._

_Fish-Eye flew towards the shape. "Ooh, pretty Fish-Eye, he likes new guy!" he sang, and with a mighty leap, snatched the black-clad youth out of midair._

_"He's got someone else!" Jupiter shouted._

_Sailor Moon was kicking off from the tree, shooting towards the two. "No – please!"_

_A mirror materialized below Fish-Eye. "He'll have your dream for his pretty queen," he crooned to his bundle, then – _

_"NO!" Sailor Moon screamed._

_Slammed him down onto the mirror._

_Tuxedo Mask's body arched. The impact squeezed a gasp out of him._

_"Darien!"_

_Ribbons sprayed out of the mirror and seized his body. They slithered around his limbs like snakes and squeezed tightly as bandages. Then they dragged him down, down, down, into the liquefying surface of the mirror._

_Golden light shot out of it and reflected in all directions._

_Sailor Moon wailed and threw herself at Fish-Eye. "Let him GO!" She screamed. "Let him GO!"_

_"You're the biggest wailer of a Sailor," complained Fish-Eye. He sucked in air and puffed out his cheeks – his body expanded and sprouted spikes. They sank into Sailor Moon's arms like fangs. _

_"Moon, you get him, I've got Fish Face!" exclaimed Jupiter, sprinting in, but Fish-Eye pointed an arm at her and the needle-like spikes shot out and pinned her to a tree. "Ugh!"_

_"Little cheat, just take a seat," Fish-Eye cackled. He turned back to Sailor Moon, only to find himself face to face with a glowing gold tiara. "Oh."_

_Sailor Moon slashed down; Fish-Eye dodged – just barely. As he leapt out of the way, Sailor Moon darted past him toward the mirror – _

_Only for Fish-Eye to seize her by the waist and swing her around into a bench._

_Sailor Moon used it to kick off from and slam into Fish-Eye. They went tumbling._

_Then came the yells._

L

The Senshi looked at Pluto, who had risen to her feet. "What's happening?"

Pluto wore a mild flush of excitement. "Those mirrors are a weapon of an enemy that will come to Earth if certain events come to pass. They transform a person's deepest dream into physical form and extract it."

Pluto's eyes were glued to the section of fog which showed the events unfolding. "Endymion will have seen his most cherished dream, but now the mirror is extracting it. Which means agony, of course, and also being plunged into nightmares. He's living those out now."

The Senshi stared at her, contemptuous. "You sent him there just so you could watch him suffer?"

Pluto bared her teeth in a feral smirk. "Not only."

L

_Tuxedo Mask's body convulsed within the mirror like a fish trapped on the beach and desperate to return to water. A golden spike was rising like an iceberg out of his chest. _

_He was screaming, yelling._

_Sailor Moon's head shot up. Fish-Eye yanked it back down; she punched him, he slapped her, she stabbed her Luna Pen into his eye. He shrieked and snaked his arm around her throat, hauling her up – then threw her away from him, streaking towards the crystal tearing itself out of Tuxedo Mask's chest –_

_Sailor Moon twisted in her airborne voyage and slammed down on Fish-Eye's back. Her tiara had materialized in her hand again. She stabbed it deep into his skull._

_He crumpled beneath her. Before he hit the ground, she had jumped off of him and was pounding toward Tuxedo Mask._

_The bloody crystal hovered above him now in a nimbus of golden light. She grabbed it._

L

"That's his dream?" said the Senshi.

"More than that," replied Pluto, the excitement fading from her cheeks. Endymion's misery was over. "Terra's Golden Crystal."

L

_"Darien – Darien – oh, God, please, Darien!"_

_Blackness._

_Burning._

_His hand scrabbled to his chest like a spider. The bloody hole._

_"Don't touch it!" A familiar voice. A familiar worry. "Here, here…"_

_Serena's voice. Serena's hands, cupping his. They felt so warm. He was shivering. He was wet._

_Another dream? Another dream, what if it was – please, just don't let it be like the last one, take him back to the first one, with her – _

_"Odango," he croaked._

_Her fingers uncurled his. The warmth increased._

_Something touched his face. "Make a wish, Darien."_

_Something spiky and hard and warm pressed into his cold fingers. He could see her, even if his eyes couldn't…. _

Odango…

L

Endymion appeared at their feet, hand once more entwined with Serenity's. Pluto seemed shocked. She took a step backwards.

Endymion cast a glance around them – and although surely he couldn't see, surely it must have been coincidence, his gaze lingered on the two Senshi.

Gold and unblinking, unseeing… Then he, and Serenity, vanished.

The Senshi looked at the wan Pluto.

"A Terran traversing time fields," she said. "That's…" She was unable to hide the amazement in her voice. "That's as powerful as the Silver Crystal."

L

Metallia never had a chance.

Darien and Serena rematerialized within her black, phantom body, and golden light spilled outwards in a colossal tsunami. Metallia dissolved without even a shout, and every quanta of black energy within a three-planet radius was obliterated.

At last, the light ebbed away to reveal the black-clad youth on his knees in the snow, still clutching the dumpling-headed girl.

Darien stared down, panting. He felt a bead of sweat trickling down his nose. Movement in his arms.

"Serena?"

"You did it!" He felt her slip out of his grip. "You did it, Your Highness!"

"Wait!" Darien reached out blindly. "Serena, you've lost half your blood – " How could she still be moving?

And yet, he was surprised. If she could move, why wasn't she throwing her arms around his neck or throwing herself at him the way she usually did when she was thrilled?

Her last words hit him. _Your Highness._

Darien reached for her again. "What are you doing?"

He could almost hear that damn fake smile in her voice. "I'm kneeling to you, Your Majesty!"

His heart sputtered. "You heard all that? But it's not true!"

"You're holding a golden crystal, and you just wiped out Metallia." The smile was becoming strained. "Who else are you, the Red Power Ranger?"

"But – Serena, I didn't kill the princess – " He tried to explain.

Something touched his face. Her hand. "I know you didn't."

Darien's chest felt much lighter. His death grip on the crystal in his hand loosened. He grabbed the hand on his face and used it to pull Serena to her feet as he stood.

"If you EVER do that again," he said, referring to her kneeling, "I will PERSONALLY chop your hair off – "

She tried to detach his fingers. "But you're the prince of the _planet_!"

"Maybe, but before I'm that, I'm Darien Shields, jerkwad extraordinaire and your friend!" His voice was fierce.

There was silence, and uncertainty stabbed him. What was Serena doing? Surely he hadn't gone too far by calling them friends?

Then arms knotted around his neck and sent him stumbling backward. He hugged Serena back just as tightly. Glee filled him, and he swung her around in a circle. His burst of enthusiasm was spoiled, however, when he tripped over something and they both crashed to the snow.

"Ow…" He heard Serena's moan. "My hair!"

"Since when was your hair that long?" Darien demanded.

"Must have reacted to your magic." He felt some of Serena's silky ponytail slither across his hand; she was pulling it. "It did that the first time I transformed into Sailor Moon, too, grew a foot."

"You mean I can control the length of your hair?" said Darien, feeling suddenly very wicked. The possibilities…

"Only if you want to wake up with a buzzcut one morning." Serena's finger flicked him in the forehead. "And it'll be a lot worse for you – mine grows back overnight, yours won't. Hopefully. Hey, did you see that?"

Darien stiffened. "Serena, I can't see anything."

L

"You…what?" Serena stared at Darien. He couldn't see? Because of the gold stuff covering his eyes? She'd thought that must just be a side-effect of using the golden crystal, like her hair growing longer.

"I can't see," Darien repeated, staring straight at her. "Anything. I haven't been able to since Beryl ate your brooch. It exploded in some white light; it must have burned my retinas or something."

"Ate my brooch?" Serena's hand flew to her front. But there was only ragged ribbon. She pushed away her dawning sense of horror to concentrate on Darien. "But it's not permanent, right? Your vision'll come back, right?"

"Of course," Darien assured her. "It was just overexposure to light…your vision comes back after you get sun in your eyes, doesn't it? Just – well, I need a little help to get where we're going. Or would if we knew where we were going, that is."

"That's what I was saying." Serena turned to point, then remembered and lowered her hand. "I could have sworn I saw a flash of light over there, like fire. Should we go check it out?"

"By all means, let's leave the frying pan for the fire," said Darien. He shook his cane out of his sleeve as Serena placed a hand on his arm, and readied his thumb over the blade release. "I've got no other ideas to get home."

The snow was cold. Serena's legs were bare. One of her shoes had fallen off, and now she kicked off the other because walking in one shoe was more troublesome than walking in one. At another time, she would have asked Darien to carry her. But in this situation he needed her to walk in order for him to know where to go.

She squared her shoulders. A little cold was nothing compared to what Darien was going through now, being blind. Nor was it anything compared to the pain burning all across her body. But if she told Darien about that, he'd only worry, and there was nothing he could do about it.

They were struggling up the snow slope one-handed when Darien next spoke.

"You haven't healed at all," he said. "And you're cold."

Serena looked at him sharply. How had he known…? "Are you sure you can't see?"

"No…" Darien's voice held puzzlement; his brows knit together. "I…feel it. You're cold on the outside, but there's fire inside."

Serena passed her hand through the air for the string. "Is this with our bond?"

His forehead creased deeper. "No, it's not a taste…it just is."

"Well, I am cold," admitted Serena. "And I do hurt. But I'm not bleeding anymore, and that's the important part, right?"

"Right," said Darien, but without much conviction. "Are we there yet?"

"Almost…" Serena let go of his hand and scrambled up a few feet further. Her eyes widened. "Lita!"

At her shout, the brown-haired Senshi's head snapped around. So did those of the other two Senshi standing opposite her.

"Darien! It's Lita! And Ami and Rei!" Serena grabbed his hand and urged him up faster, fidgeting in excitement. "How did they get here? Do you think they'll forgive me now? Now that the Dark Kingdom's gone?"

"Well, they're not running to you, and neither is Lita," said Darien. The silence dug into his ears like plugs. Why were there no shouts of recognition or joy or murderous intent? "I don't think everything's over just yet. Especially if – you said Venus isn't here?"

As they drew closer to the Senshi, Serena realized how right Darien was. Sailor Jupiter stood with her arms crossed tightly against her chest. Her expression was that of a guard. Mars and Mercury's faces, in contrast, were pale and sickened. Luna sat by, her slitted pupils watchful and wary.

Serena stopped a few feet away from all of them. "What's wrong? Where's Mina?"

Lita shot a poisonous look at Luna. Then she hooked her head at Serena, beckoning her closer. Serena stepped forward, bringing Darien with her, and an impossibly round snowdrift came into view behind Lita.

Lita, without taking her eyes from Luna, reached back and touched the snowdrift. Electricity crackled from her fingertips. The snow hissed into steam. The fog boiled and billowed away.

Revealed was a round, semi-transparent gold force field. It shimmered as the snow melted away from it, then pulsed brightly, and flickered out of existence.

Serena stared at what the force field had been protecting. A skeleton. No, not a skeleton – a body. Limbs as thin as toothpicks and a head that was barely more than a skull. Red stained the snow beside it – but surely that couldn't have been from this…body? It seemed too thin to have any blood left within it.

Serena wasn't speaking, and Darien grew impatient to see what had silenced her. He released her hand and crouched forward, reaching out, his hands skimming the snow. His fingers brushed the body, and knowledge flashed into his brain. A Senshi of the princess, born in the Silver Millennium, fought against Beryl's attack but did not die, a long imprisonment. Beatings Darkness Anguish Reawakening Pain a white-haired general –

"Venus," he gasped out, tearing his hand from the emaciated limb. His breath came in hard gasps; he rocked back into the snow. "This is Venus!"

Serena's eyes shot to Lita. The solemn Senshi nodded grimly.

"She was working for the Dark Kingdom." Luna entered the conversation. "She turned on us."

"No…"

Serena looked at Darien. He still faced the body, black hair hanging over his eyes.

"She was supposed to die," he said slowly. "To be reincarnated like us. But Beryl captured her and has kept her captive since the end of the Silver Millennium. She kept her from dying…then she brought her back to life? To find the Silver Crystal before we did. And she had to do it because she loved that general. The one with white hair. But she was trying to find a way to the princess…?"

He seemed to be talking to himself now. Serena moved toward him, but he reached out again. His hand traced lightly along one of the body's arms, and uncurled the tightly clasped fingers.

A green stone glowed within them. As Darien's hand drew closer to it, it dimmed gleam by gleam and finally, when Darien's fingers touched it, extinguished altogether.

A flash of memory – a white-haired man, a golden-haired Senshi, a dark night, desperation –

"Malachite," he murmured. After a moment, he closed the finger bones around the stone again. _You protected her…like you always wanted to…_

His hands sank into the snow. He spread his fingers, his eyelids falling closed. The snow around Venus's body began to melt. It flowed down the snowdrift. Dark soil pushed up from underneath. Green tufts sprouted from it and quickly enlarge to carpet the exposed ground. Then flowers curled up and unfurled, twisting around and over Venus's remains in a bed of bleeding hearts.

More ice sublimated around this display, twisting upward in a curl of almost invisible vapor, then spread in a pattern that defied the laws of physics. Then the vapor froze over again, and a frosty pane of ice housed the tiny grave.

Darien sat back, breathing hard again. Awareness slowly re-encircled him – Lita's muffled snorks of smothered crying, Luna's disapproving hmphs, Serena's soothing murmurs that hiccupped with tears themselves –

Then he heard a quiet gasp. He spun around, ears straining. Who had it come from?

"What is it, Mercury?" Luna's sharp voice.

He heard crunching – feet crossing the snow. Serena's continued crying, the almost inaudible growl rumbling in the throat that Lita had used on him so many times. She'd stopped crying?

"What happened to Serena?" Mercury's voice. More urgent than it usually sounded. Steadier than it usually sounded.

"What do you mean, what happened to Serena?" Lita's aggressive voice. A rustle of movement – "Oh my God, Serena! Your stomach!"

"There's blood spreading on her back, too." Ami's voice, and now it was louder, not only because she had raised her voice but because Darien had leapt to where they were and was seizing Serena.

"Odango!" He half-yelled. Something welled up inside him, contracting his throat. "You said you were fine! You told me you weren't bleeding anymore!"

She wasn't responding. Why wasn't she talking? He was crying. "Why isn't she talking?"

"Darien, she's unconscious – "

"No! She said she was fine! It fixed everything else, why didn't it fix this, DAMMIT! – " He couldn't even see her, dammit, he couldn't even see what was wrong, couldn't see to make it better, to fix it – where was the string? _Where was the damned string!_

"Give her to me – please, Tuxedo Mask, let me touch her – "

No! Who was this trying to hurt her again? He tore away, but the fingers seemed to be everywhere! Why couldn't they just leave her alone? Why couldn't they all just leave her alone! All they did was hurt her! "NO!"  
"_Yes!_" It was a sob, it was anguish, it was Mercury, it was insistence – "_Just let me touch her! Please!_"

It was a scream it was loneliness it was desperation it was the moster inside him personified it was resonance it hit a chord within him and spread.

It was her her hand grasping Serena's and him letting it. It was the ground disappearing from beneath his feet and cold mist whooshing past his face. It was sirens, wailing in his ears and light making dents in the darkness cloaking his vision. It was screams and pleas and shouts and relief and salvation. It was paramedics lifting Serena from his arms and shouting for blood, stat!

He reached out to grab an arm and follow them. Arms grabbed him, and he bucked wildly, memory of those arms, clinical like this, logn ago, igniting in him and lighting him on fire. They dragged him down, and pushed something sharp in his skin, and then darkness swallowed all five of his senses.

L

That night.

L

Another night.

L

_They were in the arcade. Serena was in front of him, saying something. He couldn't hear and leaned closer to make out her words, and she leaned back to look at him. Their noses brushed as she blinked up at him. Her mouth was still moving, and he still couldn't hear her, but this time it was for a different reason. All his senses had frozen; everything funneled into concentrating on the unbelievable Serena-ness of those eyes staring up at him._

_"Lita, I do believe I hear Serena and Darien exchanging sweet nothings in each other's ears." Asanuma's voice, arriving like the stroke of midnight. He blinked and straightened. "Tsk tsk. Isn't it your job to prevent shameless displays of public affection like that?"_

_"THEY WEREN'T SWEET NOTHINGS!" He found himself and Serena jumping apart. "Oh – jinx! Jinx! JINX!"_

_Lita's knuckles cracked._

_Motoki unwrapped a roll of coins to put in the cash register, sighing. "I suppose it wouldn't be the same arcade if Serena and Darien weren't in it arguing."_

_"Or if Super Attractive Asanuma wasn't there instigating it!" Asanuma hopped up onto a stool._

_"Of course, they're probably going to scare away customers…" Lita trailed off._

_Motoki nodded. "Good point. Hey, you two!" Darien felt a towel hit the back of his head._ _"Free drinks if you two get over here and stop making a scene!"_

_Serena grabbed him by the collar and zoomed up to the counter. "Strawberry milkshake, please, Motoki!" She yanked him down onto the stool beside her. "Sit!"_

_"What'll you have, Dare?"_

_He grunted at the smirk Motoki was giving him. "Something with caffeine to keep up with the Odango." _

_"Oh, and also, Motoki, Darien owes me a free drink because I beat him at jinx," Serena added cheerily._

_Darien turned and speared her with a glare. "You cheated. I couldn't talk with your hand over my mouth."_

_"All's fair in love and war!"_

_"Yeah, and we know which category Serena and Darien belong to," Darien heard Asanuma mutter behind his hand to Motoki. He lifted his voice. "Hey, I want a free drink too!"_

_"Free drinks? I want one, onee-chan!" Buji popped up, scrambling up onto the stool beside Darien. He climbed across him, kicking him in the face as he did so, and "oomph!"ed into Serena's lap._

_"Join the club, kid," Asanuma said, slugging him in the arm. Buji speared him with a freezing glance. "Whoah!" Asanuma took a step backward. "Dare glare alert! Dare glare alert!"_

_Darien crossed his arms disdainfully. "Don't compare that fungus to me! And get off the Odango," he added to Buji. "She's not a couch."_

_"Man, I was so sure Darien would be ones of the ones who waited till marriage," mused Asanuma, slanty-eyed. "I can't believe he did it before me! And had a kid, no less! How old is this thing?" He pinched Buji's ear and leaned down close to peer at him._

_"Grrrr…."_

_"Mount Darien is going to explode," Serena warned Asanuma as she turned away from him with Buji in her lap. "I would take cover if I were you."_

_"Aw, he knows I'm just kidding – "_

_PUNCH._

_"OW!"_

_PUNCH._

_"I was kidding. KIDDING!"_

_PUNCH._

_Buji smacked his lips. "Nee-chan, watching Darien-baka beat up that other baka makes me thirsty. Can't I have a drink now?"_

_Serena patted Buji's head absently. "Just a minute, Honey Bunny-chan, nee-chan has to make sure Darien doesn't kill Asanuma, okay?"_

_"Awwww….."_

_Something icy splashed onto Darien's neck. "AHHHHHHHHH!" He jumped up from pounding Asanuma and stared at Motoki, who was holding two empty cola glasses._

_"What's this?" said Asanuma, glancing at Darien conspiratorially. "Motoki wants to have a wet t-shirt contest?"_

_They grabbed Serena's milkshake and dumped it on Motoki._

_Lita blinked. "Um – wow."_

_"Ditto that," said Asanuma, equally impressed. "How do you get abs like that from standing around in front of a counter all day? Motoki, are you on steroids? How come you didn't share with me?"_

_Darien wasn't paying attention to them. He was watching Serena, who wa starign at the empty milkshake glass in his hand. A vein was throbbing in her forehead. "You wasted my milkshake…"_

_"Uh-oh…" he swallowed and shoved the glass at Asanuma._

_"Oh no! Not me!" Asanuma shoved it back._

_"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Serena sprang forward with an ululating battle cry. She landed on Darien's back, squeezing his throat with her arms. "I'M. GOING. TO. KILL YOU!"_

_"Help…me…" Darien staggered around._

_"Darien-baka!" Buji shouted, jumping up on his stool. "You're going to let Onee-chan beat you up?"_

_"She's not as weak as she looks," Darien croaked out._

_"You have to feel sorry for him," Motoki remarked. "He's really Serena's only conduit for her wrath."_

_"Hmm, let me check…" Lita paused. "Nope, not feeling any pity."_

_"You're evil."_

_"Nope, just tough. Like your abs."_

_"Lita!" Motoki flushed._

_"Odango…if you kill me…who will help…you with math?" Darien heard himself rasping._

_The rage in Serena's eyes sputtered a little. "Hmm, that's true…" she admitted pensively._

_He snatched her distraction and loosened grip to go for her ticklish spots. A second later, Serena was curled up on the floor laughing her guts out._

_He brushed his hands off. "Just for that I'm not lending you my graphing calculator for parabolas anymore."_

_"What?" Serena jumped up. "NOOOOOO – Darien, I'll do whatever you want!"_

_"Anything?"  
"Weeellll…define anything."_

_Darien opened his mouth, but then Asanuma whapped him in the head with a mop. "Hey! Motoki says we have to clean up the milkshake and colas if we don't want his dad coming after us."_

_"Ooooh." They all went fearful-eyed, thinking of Motoki's scary and very buff dad._

_"Oh, so that's where Motoki gets his six-pack from!" Serena snapped her fingers._

_"That's funny how Motoki has a six pack, and six packs are drinks, and Motoki serves drinks…" Asanuma trailed off as they all stared at him, unimpressed, even Buji. _

_"That was dumb," said Buji bluntly._

_"Okay, no one else thinks it's funny?" Asanuma attempted a grin. "No? Okay. Never mind." He grumbled to himself. "Sheeeeeesh, tough crowd…."_

_"More ironic than funny, actually," Darien mused._

_Asanuma punched him. "Why do people only listen to me when I make bad jokes?"_

_"Anyways, time to clean," Motoki said. "Hop to it, Janitor Team!"_

_"Man, I feel like a mother cleaning up after her bratty son," Asanuma grumbled as he scrubbed. He looked pointedly at Darien._

_"What, I'm the bratty son in that analogy? You were the one who suggested the wet t-shirt contest," he retorted._

_"Ohohoho!" A chuckle caught their attention._

_Asanuma pushed his hair out of his forehead to look at the old lady who had laughed at them. "Do you need something, oba-san?"_

_The old lady hobbled up to them with her walker. "No, no, sweetheart."_

_Darien exchanged a toothy grin with Serena. Senior citizen hitting on Numa!_

_"I was just watching the group of you strapping young things," the old lady said. "You make such a family! It does an old heart good…"_

_She hobbled on out the door, still chuckling to herself._

_Everyone looked around at each other in silence. _

_"Eheheheh…crazy old lady," laughed Asanuma, rubbing his neck._

_Serena's head tilted, and they were all subjected to an intense examination by her bright blue eyes. Darien felt a jolt as she stared at him._

_Then a smile sparkled onto her face. "No, she's right!" Serena clapped her hands. "We are a family!"_

_"Really?" Lita bit her lip, looking around at all of them. Darien found himself doing the same thing._

_Serena nodded happily._

_How so? Darien wondered._

_Serena looked up at him as though she'd heard his thought. "Silly, people don't need a reason to be family," she said. "If they want to be, they are. It's not like a sports team where you have to try out to be part of it." She grinned and scooped Buji up, squeezing him in a tight hug and mashing his cheeks. "Right, Honey Bunny?"_

_"Ack! Onee-chan!" Buji squirmed. "Stop being all mushy! Darien-baka! Help me!"_

_"Geeze." Serena pouted and dumped Buji in Darien's lap. "You like Darien best now?"_

_"Darien-baka doesn't try to strangle me!"_

_"I don't strangle you!"_

_"You hug me like a teddy bear!"_

_"You're cute and cuddly like a teddy bear! Enjoy it now, before you get old and un-cuddly like Darien!"_

_"Uncuddly?" Darien lifted an eyebrow. 'That's a compliment, I guess…"_

_"How so?" Serena crossed her arms. The argument had now gone from Serena vs. Buji to Serena vs. him._

_"Well, being cuddly would be an insult to my manliness," he reasoned, his eyes twinkling. "So you calling me uncuddly is like calling me manly."_

_"Hmm." Serena tapped her chin. Then flashed a grin. "Nope, in that case, you are even cuddlier than Buji!"_

_"Cuddlier?" Darien repeated amusedly._

_"If he's so cuddly…" Asanuma cackled and crept up. "You should cuddle him, Serena-chan!" He shoved her onto Darien._

_"AAAAAGGGGHH! ASANUMA!"_

_PUNCH. PUNCH._

_"Hey! I punched him at the same time as you! JINX! JINX! JINX! ARRRRGGGGH!"_

L

Another night.

L

And another.

L

"I guess this is where they got Serena's name from. She does look kind of serene when she's sleeping. Just not the rest of the time."

"You're one to talk. We all know where your mom got your name from, ASS-anuma – "

"You know, Toki, that joke's staler than your banana bread _tastes_ – "

"My banana bread does not taste stale!"

"How can you be going out with this guy, Lita? Listen to him! 'My banana bread does not taste stale!' He's practically screaming out his homosexuality."

"How comfortable he is with his feminine side just shows how manly he is."

"I show my feminine side all the time. Does anyone ever call me manly?"

"Shh! I think Usa-chan's waking up!"

Who could keep sleeping with all that squawking? Serena thought foggily.

That was her first thought. He second thought was that her first thought sounded like something Darien would say. Her third thought was, Oh my God! Darien!

She bolted up in bed. "Where is he? Is he okay?"

"Whoah, whoah." A hand pushed down on her chest, forcing her back down to the bed. She stared up at Lita's familiar green eyes. "Lita!"

"That's me." Lita smiled down at her. "God, you scared us, Serena!"

Serena opened her mouth, but Lita placed a hand over it. "No, wait a second," she said. "Before you talk anymore, look down at yourself."

Serena looked down. She was lying in a hospital bed. Her arm hung in a sling, bandages covered her body. She could feel them tightly hugging her ribs beneath the thin hospital gown and blanket. Only then did she become aware of the pain throbbing in her shoulder, the mild burning sensation all along her torso, upper legs, and arms. Only then did she feel the tube running under her nose and the gauze bandaging her cheeks, and the stinging cuts beneath them.

"From…Zoicite?" she said.

Lita still stood in front of her, her back to Motoki and Asanuma so that they wouldn't catch the warning glance she shot Serena. "From the youma attack," she said firmly. "Can you remember anything?"

"Being pulled out of the car…" Serena said slowly, trying to sort out her memory. The prom, Venus, Zoicite dragging her out of the car…that was where most of these injuries had to have come from. She couldn't remember ever feeling such incredible pain in her life. She couldn't believe she had managed to move later, much less walk and talk… "What happened…afterwards?"

"The Sailor Senshi brought you back to the school parking lot. Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter," Lita said. "You were unconscious. Bleeding badly, too. Thank God there was an ambulance already there, or you might have died. They said you'd lost so much…"

Her voice cracked. Serena squeezed her hand and stared past her at Asanuma and Motoki. They, too, looked so solemn…they didn't look like themselves at all. They looked like different people. Strangers.

"What happened, Serena?" Asanuma gazed back at her. "Venus went outside, and we followed… Darien's windshield was all smashed up, and there was blood everywhere… You were both missing, we called the police, we didn't know if it was someone kidnapping you or Sailor Venus or a youma – "

"Where is Darien?" Serena asked urgently. She looked up at Lita. "He's not…?" Her heart seemed to hang in the air.

"He's not dead!" said Motoki hastily. "He's just…do you remember what happened after the youma took you guys, Serena?"

Lita's hand tightened around Serena's. The blonde shook her head. "No…"

"I think we've tired Serena out enough for today, guys," Lita said, slipping her hand out of Serena's. "C'mon, let's go."

"No!" Serena sat up. Pain lanced across her stomach and panic across her mind. "No! Lita, you can't just leave!"

Lita opened the door, back tense. A nurse could be heard in the hall: "She's awake? Oh, let's see her, then – Dr. Itsuka, 630's awake – "

"Lita!" Serena cried as Lita left. "Please – !"

Motoki followed the brunette out into the hall, throwing Serena an apologetic look. Asanuma placed his hand on the doorjamb and hesitated.

Then he turned and ran back to Serena.

He gripped the bedside rail and stared down at her intently. "They're got Darien sedated," he told her lowly. "He was going berserk when he woke up and found out he was in a hospital. He told you what happened when he was little, right? When his parents died? Well – the nurses told us not to tell you until they'd checked you out and made sure you weren't going to freak out like him, but Serena, he's gone blind. I snuck in to see him – he's just lying there. That youma did something to him. His eyes are all gold, there's something wrong with them. Can you remember? Did the youma spray his face with something? Poison him? Did – ?"

"Young man!" A nurse hurried in with the doctor striding behind her. "Your friends are waiting outside for you! And the doctor needs to check on your lady friend now, so come back tomorrow, okay?"

Asanuma threw Serena one last glance, then let himself be herded outside. But as he opened the door, his hand crept behind his back. He flashed his fingers: six fingers, fist, five. 605.

"Well, then." The doctor drew Serena's attention back to him. "How are we feeling, young lady?"

"Sir," Serena blurted out. "My friend – Darien – Darien Shields – please, is he okay?"

"Well, now, I'm not the doctor in charge of his treatment, but I'm sure he's just fine." The doctor smiled at her. "Now, let's worry about you, shall we? Take a deep breath, please. In, out…"

L

_"Darien – I'm sorry. Your parents didn't make it."_

_"My…parents? They…what?" _

_Confusion._

_"They didn't survive the car crash, son. I'm so sorry."_

_"Car crash?" _

_Bewilderment. _

_"What car crash?"_

_"The car crash you were in – don't you remember it?"_

_"I…" _

_Clutching his head. _

_"I don't remember anything."_

L

'_He's just lying there.'_

_'He was going berserk.'_

_'Do you remember, Serena?'_

The tray of supper a nurse had brought her still sat untouched on her lap. She had been staring at the trembling orange surface of the gelatin since they brought it, after her parents had finally stopped hugging her and crying to go pick up Sammy from camp.

_'He was going berserk.'_

_'He's just lying there.'_

_'He's blind, Serena.'_

But he had told her his eye would heal! He'd TOLD her his vision would come back!

_'He was going berserk.'_

The pressure her fingers were exerting on the fork bleached her knuckles white.

_'He's just lying there.'_

_Darien…_

Her eyes flicked to the door. _605._ It was nighttime now; the halls had grown quieter. Would the nurses come to check on her?

Even if they did, what would happen, Serena? her mind demanded. They would scold you? Big deal. You just survived Zoicite and the queen of the Dark Kingdom, for God's sake!

Decision filled her limbs. She set down the tray and scooted down the bed. A minute's work removed the tubes from her – she willed them not to beep or set off an alarm, and they listened – then she slid down off the bed. Her body complained with every centimeter.

A shadow obliterated the beam of light streaming through the crack in the doorway. She froze. But it passed – just a nurse walking by.

An idea hit her. She reached into her Sub-Space pocket and withdrew the Luna Pen.

"Luna Pen," she whispered. "Can you turn me invisible?"

Not only could the Luna Pen turn her invisible, it also did it subtly. At first, Serena thought it hadn't worked, because there were no flashes of light or sparkles, but she looked down at herself and saw nothing. She waved a hand in front of her face, and still, nothing.

A smile lit her face. "Thanks, Luna Pen!" she whispered, stowing it back in her pocket.

Now… she crept to the door. Peeked out the crack. Squeeeeeeezed out the crack. Looked left, right, left. Where would 605 be? This way or that way? Or that other way? Argh!

Then she bonked herself on the head. Well, duh, Serena! Just use the string! In fact, you could have just used the string in the beginning to check on Darien.

But…part of her protested. She wanted to see him, whether he needed her or not.

She passed her hand through the air a couple of times in a motion that was quickly becoming familiar. It only took her three passes to find the string this time, and she brushed her fingers tentatively across it first. Grogginess and a sense of detachment unscrewed her brain from the rest of her for a moment. She kept only the lightest of contact with the string, grazing it lightly as she followed it lest she become so detached that she walked into a nurse. Was this the sedatives' work, or Beryl's? Or the Golden Crystal's? Or Darien's own mind's?

The walls as she walked were white, and so was the floor. So were the doors, and the signs with direction to the elevators and cafeteria. Everything white, and she realized that this must be the exact opposite of what Darien could see right now: all black.

But she still couldn't believe it. He couldn't be blind still. Just like he couldn't get sick. The golden sparks would just heal it, like they healed everything else. The doctors had to be wrong. Or it was something magical causing Darien's blindness, something that could be gotten rid of.

So absorbed was she in her thoughts that she totally missed the placard beside the door reading 605. Instead, she continued along the string's path, totally oblivious to her surroundings, and walked straight into the closed door, BAM.

She stumbled back, blinking back stars and hurriedly digesting her surroundings. A brown-haired nurse came hurrying into the hallway, and she flattened herself against the wall.

"Mr. Shields?" the nurse called, opening the door. "Are you alright?"

Serena took advantage of the opened door and slid in behind the nurse.

The room was dark. The blinds were drawn, and the bed was totally reclined. An IV stand loomed over the bed, bearing a fat bag of clear liquid. The nurse approached it and checked it, but could apparently find nothing wrong with it. "But I swear I heard something…" she said, staring at the motionless body on the bed.

Something on the nurse's waist chirped. She picked it up. "Yes?" Pause. "What?" … "Yeah, I'll be there right away. Yes. Bye."

She clicked off the phone and ran out of the room. Serena waited a few beats until she was gone, then closed the door quietly behind her, keeping the knob turned so it wouldn't make a noise. Then she stood with her ear pressed to the door for a moment, listening to make sure no voices approached.

But she heard a voice. And it came from behind her.

"Odango?"

Her whole body froze. Inside, her organs shriveled up. Was it Darien's ghost? Had he died?

Again. "Odango?"

She turned slowly. The shadow on the bed had half-risen. Irrational fear gripped her, and she had to force the whisper out of her mouth. "Darien?"

"It _is _you?" The shadow sat up all the way, but not for long, because Serena hurled herself at him, choking the life out of him and dripping tears all over his neck.

At last, she loosened her grip and looked up at him. It didn't make any difference, though, because it was so dark in the room that she couldn't see his face.

She opened her mouth, but he spoke first. "You're bandaged all over."

She felt his hands brushing across the gauze on her face. "I'm okay," she told him.

Darien snorted bitterly. "That's what you said before you fainted, too. I'm not believing you anymore."

His hands slid from her face. She grabbed them. "Asanuma said your vision still hasn't come back."

Within hers, his hands tensed.

"Have you tried to heal them? With the crystal, I mean?"

"It didn't exactly come with an owner's manual and instructions."

"You haven't tried, then." Serena's voice lifted a note higher in excitement. "We can figure it out! There has to be a way – "

"I _have _tried." For an instant, Darien's voice seemed about to break. He pulled his hands free. Then he cleared his throat. "As well as I could, I mean."

"What did you do?"

"Before, it just worked when I wished something." He paused. "So I tried wishing to heal my eyes. But nothing's changed."

"Maybe it's because they have you on medication," Serena suggested. "It's interfering with your ability to use the crystal – "

"Serena. Can we just not talk about this right now?" There was forced gentleness covering the bite in his tone, like frosting on a crowbar.

"O – of course!" She slid quickly off the bed. "I'll go – "

How he managed to grasp her wrist so quickly without being able to see it was a mystery to her. She sucked in a breath and stopped moving.

"Don't leave. Please talk to me. Just not about this."

Serena bit her lip and looked at the featureless shadow that was Darien in that pitch black hospital room.

"Okay," she said. "Just let me do something, okay?"

A moment passed, then he released her wrist. She felt her way carefully across the room to the window – was this what Darien would have to move around, feeling his way? – and opened the blinds. Bars of silvery moonlight slid into the room, across the bed. Darien's gold eyes ignited with silvery sparkle under its fingers.

He waited until she returned and climbed back up on the bed to say, "I can't see that, you know."

"I know," she said. "But it makes a difference knowing it's there, doesn't it? I mean, even if you can't see light at the end of the tunnel, it still helps a lot to know that there is an end, you know, somewhere where the sun will come out again. You just have to hold out until you reach it."

There was a long silence.

Then at last Darien said, "Liar. You just wanted to be able to stare at my handsome face."

Serena guffawed, but was secretly glad that Darien couldn't see her blush. "That's so crazy there isn't even a worthwhile response to it!"

"Yet you're responding," retorted Darien.

"Someone being sedated shouldn't be this sharp," complained Serena. "Has that medicine gone bad or something? Speaking of which, how are you even awake?"

Darien shrugged. "Beats me. More superhero anomalies?"

"I'll pretend I know what anomalies means and just say, 'Why did the sedation work on me, then?' " Serena frowned to herself, chewing her lip. "No, but the medicine's affecting you a little. When I felt for the string to find you, you felt all stuffy-headed."

"Thanks," said Darien dryly. He lay back down, resting his head on his pillow and directing his face at her. She sensed that he did this for her benefit, since he couldn't see her. "Speaking of you finding me, why are you here?"

"That's a dumb question," said Serena indignantly. "What kind of a friend do you think I am?"

"A severely injured, in critical condition one," he retorted. "Not exactly in the condition to be able to wander around hospitals. That was you who ran into the door, wasn't it?"

"Now you're going to tell me that was how you knew it was me?" said Serena sourly.

"Yup."

Serena sweatdropped. "Let's try this again. You were supposed to say, 'No, Serena darling, I knew it was you by the fragrant perfume of flowers that wafted into the room.' "

Darien's forehead creased thoughtfully. "Hmmm…" He shook his head. "No, no, I'm sure it was the thunk your huge forehead made against the poor door."

"Urrrgghh…. If you weren't in a hospital, I'd be strangling you right now." Serena glanced around, avoiding his unblinking stare. She spotted a flower on his bedside table. "Hey, who brought you that?"

"Brought me WHAT?" His tone held caustic reminder.

"Oops. Sorry." Serena winced. "Forgot. There's a rose on your bedside table."

"Really?" Darien said absently. She looked at him in annoyance at his lack of attention and saw that he was twirling some of her hair in his fingers.

"Who said you could play with that?" Serena demanded. "Don't touch it, who knows how long it's been since it was washed – "

"You've got so much hair that oils can only reach what, the top half of it?" Darien cut her off. "Besides, don't bother me, I'm enjoying it."

"I hope the irony doesn't escape you," Serena said. "The hair you're deriving such pleasure from right now is the same hair you always ridicule so much."

"Oh, the irony just makes it more fun." Darien closed his eyes. "You talk more like me these days, Odango."

"Do I?" Serena frowned. She replayed her words in her head. "What, just because I use big words I'm imitating you? In that case, YOU talk more like ME lately."

"Meaning I use smaller words and make less sense," muttered Darien.

"Let's remember whose hair it is you're playing with right now," Serena reminded him pointedly.

"Mine," said Darien slyly. "I made it grow, remember?"

Serena crossed her arms. "I don't know why I came. You don't even need any cheering up. I thought I'd have to offer you a shoulder to cry on or something."

"You expected ME to cry? I'm offended by how unmanly your perception of me is."

"It's not UNMANLY to cry."

"Actually, it is. It's scientifically proven that men, whether heterosexual or homosexual, are biologically predisposed to internalize their emotions. Our emotions don't take place in the same region of the brain that females' do."

"Well, gee, thanks for ruining every romance novel I ever read," muttered Serena. "I liked the wimpy guys."

Darien slid a hand behind his head. "Aw, a wimpy guy couldn't handle you, Odango. You need someone who can keep up with your detestable neverending supply of energy. Not to mention deal with with all the youma, admirers, and murderous Senshi you're so prone to attracting." He smirked. "Of course, I got rid of all the youma for him, so I guess his job is a little easier now."

"We'll send you a thank you card with our wedding invitation," said Serena dryly.

Darien was quiet for a minute. She nudged him with an elbow. "What's up?"

He resurfaced with a sigh. "Hmm? Nothing. I was just thinking." He paused. "I had a dream about getting your wedding invitation."

Her forehead crinkled. "When?"

"During…all that weird stuff."

"What, you fell asleep in the middle of fighting Beryl?"

"No, when…" he trailed off. "You weren't there…? I thought you were, but – no, that wouldn't make sense. Maybe that was a dream, too?"

Serena watched him, her brows furrowing. "What are you talking about?"

Darien explained to her how he had gotten the golden crystal; the strange beating, etc.

"No way," Serena breathed. She stared at him. "I don't remember any of that. I remember that black stuff…_eating_ me, and I remember seeing all the gold light coming out of the crystal and making everything disappear, but in between that everything's a blank."

"No, you were awake," Darien insisted. His brow was creased intently. "I remember you talking right before I got kicked."

"Are you sure it wasn't this other Serena you heard?"

Darien tried to make sense of it in his mind. It was like untangling a huge knot. "No, because when I came back, I picked you up and brought you back with me. Why wouldn't you remember? Whoever kicked you must have done something to you, too…"

"But who kicked you?" Serena said. "Who took us out of Beryl? How? It seems like they helped us, but if that's true, why didn't they talk to us?"

Darien was silent. She drew her knees up to her chin and watched him. He was in musing mode.

"It's like a deus ex machina," he muttered to himself.

"What's that?" Serena asked. "Is it bad?"

"Not necessarily," he said slowly. "I mean, it's usually considered poor writing skills to use one. But in ancient Greek plays, the dues ex machina was a force, usually a god, that swept down at the end to fix everything. He would punish the people who were bad and reward the characters who were good, for instance."

"But…" Serena thought of Sailor Venus's body. "What if some of the people who got punished weren't really bad?"

"Well, that's the problem," said Darien. "By the god coming down to fix everything instead of just letting the story settle itself, the god ensured that events played out the way he wanted, to his benefit."

"So…" said Serena slowly, "you think that someone manipulated everything that happened to work out the way they wanted it to."

"Why else would they have helped us? If nothing else, it means there's greater forces at work than us or the Dark Kingdom at work."

"You mean we're not done fighting?"

"_You_ are!" Darien sat up straight. "You can't transform anymore, Serena – "

The door opened. Serena dropped to the floor, hunching as small as she could, pressed against the bed.

"I heard a noise here earlier tonight, Doctor, and he's been in such an excitable state I thought I should alert you just in case… Mr. Shields?"

Serena peered up beneath her bangs. Darien was still sitting up! He must have thought he had to hide her – crud, she hadn't told him she'd become invisible!

A deeper voice now, a man's. "Why are you awake, Mr. Shields?"

"You're the doctor," Darien said. Serena marveled at how nonchalant he could sound. She would have been tangling her words left and right! "You tell me."

"Well, you're much calmer now than you were the first time we met, at least," said the doctor dryly. "How are you feeling?"

"Blind."

The doctor sighed. Then Serena heard the sound of chair legs scraping across linoleum, and the hiss of a cushion depressing. "Would you like the news now or shall we wait till morning?"

"Morning and night are pretty much the same to me now, Doctor."

"In time, you'll be able to tell the difference pretty well."

Serena hugged her legs tighter. _In time?_

"That's your roundabout way of telling me I'm going to be like this for a very long time," Darien said.

A sigh. "Basically. I'm very sorry, Darien. We still can't even figure out what happened, much less how to fix it. We've never treated a youma-inflicted affliction like this before. We know virtually nothing about it. If there was some way we could contact the Sailor Senshi, ask them if they knew anything about it…"

A bitter laugh. "Trust me, they don't."

"Well… The M.D. cleared his throat. "There's a very good chance that the loss of vision has only been caused by trauma and it could return at any time."

"You don't think I should hold my breath for it, though." Delivered flatly.

"I really don't know, Darien. I just don't know." The chair scraping back. "Not that it worked before, but would you like medication to sleep?"

"No," said Darien firmly.

"Alright. Good night, then."

Footsteps leaving.

The two let a moment pass before they dared speak.

"Serena?" Darien whispered.

She got up. "Right here. Whew, that was close." She kept her voice light.

"You stayed in here the whole time? How'd they not see you?"

"Oh…" Serena rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I used the Luna Pen to turn me invisible when I came here. Sorry, I forgot to tell you."

"Oh." Darien sank back down. "Yeah, that would have been nice to know before I jumped down that doctor's throat…"

"How would being grumpy to him keep him from seeing me?" asked Serena skeptically.

"Who knows? I wasn't thinking," answered Darien vaguely.

Serena's fingers moved of their own accord and brushed his hair back. "I think you're getting sleepy."

"I don't want to sleep," he whispered.

Serena stared at him, then it clicked. What he said about dreams… "What did you dream, Darien?"

"Just…" His eyelids drifted shut, then struggled back open. "I'm not going to Yale, Serena – "

"Shhhh…" She stroked his forehead. She felt so incredibly serene even though his words had stabbed her heart and made it burst with happiness at the same time. The need to soothe him was like a wall, muffling all her other feelings. "I know. You're staying right here with us."

Darien's lips opened again, but instead of words just a sigh drifted out. His chest rose up and down. Serena gazed at him.

The shadows beneath his eyes suddenly lightened. She turned toward the window, alert.

But it was a shooting star. Streaking through the sky like a spear.

She grabbed Darien's hand.

_Make a wish_, she thought.

L

Ami looked down at the ticket in her hand. Its edges were darkening from the perspiration of her palm. Her bag threatened to fall from her other, sweat-slickened hand. Was this a sign? Her fear made her lose everything. The sweat and tears she always shed made everything too slippery for her to hold onto.

But she was changing that. She was changing it right now. She would, she would…

She had been telling herself this for half an hour now. And her feet still hadn't moved one inch.

She heard a caw. She looked up. A black bird hovering above her. Great. Another bad omen.

Then awareness trickled through her. She looked back up at the crow, then over her shoulder.

To lock eyes with Rei.

"You're leaving," Rei said matter-of-factly, her violet eyes boring into Ami's.

Something about the way she said it – maybe because Rei could see the future – unlocked Ami's body. She took a step forward.

"Yes."

Rei looked around them, at the bustling people. "I hate this place," she said bleakly. "They can't expect us to protect it if we don't like it."

There was a backpack over Rei's shoulder, Ami suddenly noticed. And her hair was cropped short, to her chin.

"You're lucky, you know," Rei continued, looking up at the sky. "There's no strings tying you here."

Ami had to press her lips together to keep them from trembling. "I wish there were."

"No." Rei snorted. "You don't."

Ami swallowed the words she wanted to say. Instead, she asked, "Where will you go?"

"The same place I've been headed all my life." Rei tore her eyes from the sky and looked at Ami. "Nowhere."

Ami gripped the transformation wand that was in her pocket. "Do you feel guilty?" she blurted out.

Rei's face hardened. "No. Like I said…they can't expect us to protect something if we don't like it." She spun on her heel. "Bye, Ami."

"Bye…Rei…" Ami watched her back grow smaller and smaller. Then the dribble of hesitation that had been dripping inside her solidified into an icicle, solid and sure. "Rei!" She ran after her.

Rei turned slightly, eyes narrow. "What?"

Ami halted in front of her. "I hope that we see each other again someday, Rei. And that we can be friends when we do."

It would have taken someone far more social-savvy than Ami to notice the subtle change in Rei's face. But it was there, even if neither of knew it. And after staring at Ami for a moment with that change spreading through her, Rei turned again and strode away, faster and faster until she was running.

Ami didn't wait to watch her disappear this time. This time, she turned, planted her feet firmly one in front of the other, and headed toward her destination.

L

"Well, look who it is!" exclaimed Motoki as Serena and Darien entered the repaired arcade. Then he blanched. "I mean – not look – um – damn it – "

"Stop while you're ahead, Toki," Lita told him.

"But I – "

"This is probably the only time you'll hear me say this, but listen to Lita, Motoki." Darien sank into a stool and leaned his cane against the counter.

"Where's Asanuma's voice recorder when you need it?" Lita joked. They all laughed. "You want a milkshake, Serena?"

"Um…yes, please." Serena stared at Lita. "But Lita, why are you behind the counter?"

Motoki grinned and snaked an arm around Lita's waist. "Say hello to our newest employee!" he said.

"Lita's working here now?" Darien muttered. "I don't think I feel comfortable with her handling my drinks…"

"Don't worry." Serena patted his arm. "Lita knows I steal sips from you, so she won't try to poison you."

"Heheheheh…" Lita placed a milkshake in front of Serena and a cola in front of Darien.

"Anyways," said Motoki. "Long time no see. You guys got out of taking final exams, you know."

"I know," said Darien dryly. "It nearly cost me my sense of hearing too. Serena squealed louder than car brakes when she found out."

Serena, who had been watching Darien very closely, glanced over and caught the relief that flitted across Motoki's face. "What is it, Toki?" she wanted to know.

"Huh? What?"

"You looked all relieved," she said.

"Oh." Motoki scratched his head. "Well, I'm just glad Dare's okay, that's all. I was afraid he'd, you know, cut us all of. Or be really tense. But it's practically like nothing's changed!"

"Says you," muttered Darien. Louder, he said, "It _is _hard. But more than anything, I don't want you guys to treat me differently." He smirked a little. "I'm still the dashing, suave, unbelievably handsome genius guy I've always been."

Guffaws broke out all around.

"Dashing?" gasped Lita.

"Suave?" laughed Motoki.

"Handsome!" giggled Serena.

"At least no one's arguing with me about the genius part," Darien told his sympathetic soda.

"GENIUS?"

Darien's head drooped. "I spoke too soon."

"Why, did someone call for me?" Asanuma's voice shoved itself into the arcade. He slid into the stool beside Darien. "All those adjectives that perfectly describe _moi _– "

"Motoki, do you have a fork? Someone's ego needs to be stabbed to let some of the hot air escape."

Asanuma clapped Darien on the shoulder. "Ah, you're still as grumpy as ever, Dare-Bear. Nice to know that some things never change."

Serena grinned and looked around at all her friends bickering and laughing. Then she felt a hand slide into hers. She looked down and saw that it was Darien's. His fingers were counting down from three for them to dump their drinks on Asanuma. She laughed delightedly and thought back to only a few months ago when she had gone home and cried over some of the things he said to her.

Yes, she thought as they jumped up and upended their icy cold drinks on Asanuma's head, it was nice to know that some things never changed.

But it was even nicer that some things did.

The End

(of Season 1, that is.)


End file.
